Tonight see’s two of Britains nations take to the field to confirm their places at Euro 2022 with a win tonight, the first of the two is Northern Ireland who kick-off against the Faroe Islands at 7pm at the Seaview stadium in Belfast, a game in which their manager, Kenny Shields, has described as ‘payback time’. this should be a walk in the park for Shield’s women as the Faroe Islands have a goal difference of -37 and haven’t claimed a single point. the other game taking place tonight is Wales vs Belarus women, the game will kick off at 7:10pm at the Rodney Parade, Wales come into the game clear favourites and with a win will be pushing second place as long as Northern Ireland are not victorious. It really is a battle for the second place in their group to gain hold of the playoff battle.
team sheets:
The Faroe islands lineup is:
1.Joensen, 4.Ryan, 7.Johannesen, 18.Langgaard, 16.Jacobsen, 2.Vang, 9.Mortensen, 8.Djurhuus, 11.Lamhauge, 13.Torolvsdottir, 10.Hansen
LIVE BLOG:
The national anthems have been played here in Belfast and they are just about to kick off,
- It’ll be the FI to kick us off her kicking from right to left. are wearing their ever traditional green with white shorts while the FI are wearing a white strip with blue shorts.
4. sloppy from the NIR backline, the ball breaks lose in the home sides box and the FI striker Torolvsdottir gives the away side an unexpected lead.
7. NIR look to strike back from a corner and the FI lead has been scraped with the ball being turned in by Furness, however it is being said that Hutton got the last touch for NIR.
9. Since NIR has struck back they have looked lively creating chance after chance they are very unlucky not to be ahead here.
Wales and Belarus have taken to the field and have both impressively belted out their respective national anthems. the wales team have taken a knee, however the Belarus players didn’t,
1.Wales have kicked us off here playing from left to right playing in all red while Belarus play in all white.
15. Since a frantic start in Belfast the game has calmed down a bit here and the possession has changed hands consistently as both teams try to get a foot hold in the game.
4- Belarus has started brightly in Wales here really looking well drilled and passing the ball with real quality, Wales winning is crucial to their push for Euro 2022 so the Wales staff will hoping that their players are up to tonight’s task.
20- NIR are creating chance after chance her, just lacking quality in front of goal, their midfield is playing really well though winning back balls at every point and launching attacks, as i say this a brilliant pass from McGuiness opens a chance for Wilson but she isn’t able to make any decent contact.
10- Wales are pushing higher and higher up the pitch using the left hand side as their main attacking route, trying to release an attack of real quality here playing the ball around and harding is unlucky there with a header that goes just wide but the keeper got a touch.
25. NIR are coming back in waves here against the FI defence, simply attack against defence, The Fi have given the ball away very cheapily here and Goallllllllll!!!! McGuinness has slotted the ball into the FI net and that puts NIR 2-1 up.
15. Goallllllllll for Wales, Harding is shifted the ball inside the Belarus penalty area and slots it past the keeper and places Wales 1-0 very deserved by the Welsh side as their up in intensity has provided them with a lead.
30- NIR are just producing attack after attack FI have barely got out of their half since they took the led over 25 minutes ago, NIR are pushing hard and are trying to put this game to bed early.
19- A lot of action is coming from the Wales left hand side not only with their attacking but also their defending the Belarus attackers seem to be enjoying their play down their right wing.
34. For all of NIR possession they haven’t been able to add to their lead, plenty of midfield possession but the FI final third has become a lot harder for the NIR attack to penetrate.
22. Very phyiscal game here in Wales, a lot of crunching challenges have been put in by the Belarus central defenders and both Wales strikers have been moving around a bit gingerly.
38. McGuinness has been the figure head for the NIR attack, creating chance after chance moving with real speed, another chance goes begging though for the NIR as the FI backline have precautionary measures in place for the most recent attack.
26- SUB for Belarus as OLKHOVIK comes off for KRASNOVA which can only be assumed as an injury caused substitution. However sources are saying that it could in turn be a tatical change.
44- Hutton and Nelson have looked solid at the back here for NIR since they conceded early on, the two centre backs are getting the ball moving really quickly trying to provide space the NIR attack.
31. Morgan hits the post! really should of scored had a free header at the back post but it hits the outside of the post and pings back into play.
45+1. One minute added time here in Belfast, NIR are still trying to build their lead before the conclusion of the first half and now have a corner from the top right side of the pitch however the corner comes to nothing and that see’s the end of the first half. It’s been a first half of of constant NIR attacks after a nightmare start when FI finished off a piece of poor defending.
34. Goalllllll! what a finish was it a cross? was it a shot? Wales won’t care it 2-0 and Rachel Rowe is the scorer!
38. Since the Wales second goal has gone in , Belarus have hit back with a handful of decent attacks on the Wales goal, it displays that clearly this Belarus team does still propose a threat.
40. After a period of good football from Belarus they have become really sloppy, narrowly escaping a third Wales goal through a last ditch challenge. If Wales go on to grab a third goal i can’t see Belarus having the on pitch presence to challenge that type of lead.
45+1- i must say it is nice to watch a game of football where VAR isn’t involved for once, the game is definitely flowing at a more natural place without the video officials controlling decisions, the on pitch officials have done a fantastic job so far can’t say they’ve made a bad decision all night.
And thats half time in Wales, its 2-0 to the British side with goals from Harding and Rowe meaning they go into the break with a lead, if Wales do the same here as they did in the first half they will be just fine and can see them booking their place in Euro 2022.
46. NIR get us back underway here in Belfast moving from right to left now, they’ll be hoping to unpick this FI backline and put this game to sleep before the FI are able to build themselves into the game, just as i say that Callaghan is smashes the ball just past the left side of the FI goal, but very encouraging signs.
50. Constant attacking here from NIR, its so one sided here ever time the FI get ahold of the ball NIR players swarm after it, they really look hungry out their searching for this 3rd goal.
54. For all of their possession NIR still haven’t been able to come up with a clear cut chance, the FI team are all behind the ball, its gonna be a long 35 minutes for the young side.
56. Absolute stunner from McCarron! what a strike! takes a strike from around 30 yards out and the ball crashes into the back of the net. they’ve had to wait for their third goal but what a goal to have to wait for 3-1.
46. Wales get us back underway against Belarus in the second half, they’ll like NIR be trying to put as much distance between themselves and their opponents with finding that all important third goal.
60. At the hour mark for NIR and the FI, if the scores stays like this NIR will be heading to the playoffs for the European championships in 2022. Since their third goal has gone in NIR haven’t let up they keep coming and coming.
51. Clicking is the only way to describe the Wales midfield, passing with great approach really stretching the Belarus midfield. Even with this great display of passing wales have started slowly and haven’t created anything to shout about in the second half.
65. NIR make a few substitutes here just to keep the threat of the NIR attack.
70. NIR have 20 minutes between them and a date with a two legged playoff tie, in which the winner will gain a place in the Euro’s come 2022.
59. A quality free kick there from Belarus, but they are very unlucky as the ball crunches against the crossbar , that was a real strike of quality and it had the keeper scrambling. Wales can’t do anything but hope here as they won’t be able to gain ahold of a playoff spot unless NIR have a win stolen from under them.
76. Goallllllll! the McGuinness sisters have both scored tonight, a real attackers goal, the FI struggle to clear from the middle of their area and Caitlin McGuinness simply strikes it past the keeper from around 10 yards out, 4-1! and thats game, set and match to Kenny’s women.
66. Wales just playing for pride now, as there’s not chance of NIR losing their 3 goal lead, the game has gone dull here as both teams and settled into the seconf half but haven’t particularly threaten either teams goal except from a few good free kicks.
83. This game in Belfast has take a rather quiet turn as both teams and have just taken the play the ball around approach, as i say that NIR nearly strike again but the FI keeper makes a great tip over the bar.
71. Penalty for Wales! its a chance for Wales to go 3-0 up here, great turn by Harding and gets swiped out by the Belarus full back, Fishlock makes it 3-0 well slotted into the bottom left hand corner.
87. Another goal late on here for NIR Furness is the player to get the final touch from a free kick and it bobbles past the FI defenders that had covered their goal line. 5-1!!!!!
Another substitution for Wales here as Morgan comes off for Walters, Morgan has played a game to be proud of here, will just feel frustrated i’m sure for her miss earlier in the first half.
90+3 the game here in Belfast is coming to a quiet end here ,as you can see from the player body language that the game’s result has been known for a while now.
And thats the full time whistle, thats it NIR are through to the playoffs for a place at Euro 2022, a game that they have controlled since going behind early on, a real quality performance here, and now they can hope to bring this form into their playoff ties and become the first NIR women’s side to gain a place at a European championships. 5-1 is how the final score reads!
85. This game is being dominated here by Wales, these welsh attackers are causing hell for these Belarus defenders, the game while being dominated has gained a scruffy edge as wales should go on to win this and end their qualifying experience on a high.
90. There will be 4 minutes of added time here, these minutes will simply be more playing time for both sides, some of these Wales subs have come on with real energy, but throughout the game the Wales Midfield has been at it’s best all night, picking apart the Belarus defence. The final whistle sounds and the game ends Wales 3 Belarus 0.
FULL TIME SCORES:
Wales 3-0 Belarus
NIR 5-1- The FI
