Ireland are just on the brink of qualifying for their first ever World Cup but there is still one more, rather challenging, hurdle to go.
They have already had two impressive consecutive victories, winning 1-0 against both Finland and Slovakia.
This has awarded them a Play-Off spot for the second round, where they will face either Scotland or Austria.
Ireland WNT Manager Vera Pauw said: “This is a tough draw for us. We know what is ahead of us in order to qualify for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, but it will be a difficult task. Our aim was always to qualify for next summer’s tournament and that is what we are still fighting for.”
Countdown is on ⏳ https://t.co/ph1uDEVzQw
— FAI Women (@FAIWomen) September 9, 2022
Scotland and Austria are both strong teams with Scotland claiming a FIFA ranking of 23 and Austria just above at 20.
Three victors will come out of the Round 1 games, and will face the three teams that were automatically in Round 2. The top two highest ranking teams will qualify for the World Cup. The remaining Play-Off winner will compete in the Inter-Confederation Play-Offs in February 2023.
All Round games will take place on October 6th and Vera Pauw’s squad will be away to the winners of the Round 1 tie, with the game scheduled in for Tuesday, October 11th.
Denmark, England, Italy, Germany, France, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Norway have all already qualified from the UEFA section.
What a Group campaign by WNT 🇮🇪
🟢 4 clean sheets
🟢 26 goals scored
🟢 New record home attendance
🟢 New highest ever win
🟢 New highest ever ranking position
🟢 Oh, and a Play-Off spot secured#COYGIG | #WeAreOne pic.twitter.com/1oo2kUi5CP— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) September 7, 2022
Pauw has outlined her expectations to the press as follows, “The dream to reach the World Cup is still very much in our hands. We have achieved a lot so far in this qualifying campaign, thanks to the dedication and professionalism of our players and staff. Our biggest strength is our togetherness as a group and that is what will hopefully help us get through this next challenge.”