Ireland Women Take 4-2 First Leg Lead Over Belgium

Ireland Women Take 4-2 First Leg Lead Over Belgium
Katie McCabe of Republic of Ireland celebrates scoring her team’s third goal. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

Ireland Women beat Belgium in their Nations League Play-Off 1st Leg but Northern Ireland lost at home to Iceland.

Semi-finals 1st Leg
Germany 1-0 France
Spain 4-0 Sweden

Spain took control over Sweden with Alexia Putellas’s first-half double, separated by a Clàudia Pina goal from Ona Batlle’s delivery. Pina got her second and Spain’s fourth in added time.

Germany edged France with the only goal, scored 11 minutes from time when Sjoeke Nüsken set up Klara Bühl for the breakthrough.

UEFA Women's Nations League Final 4 - Germany v France - Merkur Spiel-Arena
Players of Germany celebrate the goal during the UEFA Women’s Nations League Semi-final. (Photo: Qianru Zhang/SPP)

Play-offs League A/B 1st Leg
Czech Republic 1-0 Austria
Finland 1-6 Denmark
Northern Ireland 0-2 Iceland
Republic of Ireland 4-2 Belgium

Katie McCabe put the Republic of Ireland one up at the break against Belgium, scoring from a 45th-minute penalty. Tessa Wullaert equalised but an own-goal from keeper Nicky Evrard from McCabe’s cross swiftly restored the lead. Into the final third of the game, McCabe was at it again to give her side a two-goal cushion with the help if Emily Murphy. Marissa Sheva fired home to make it 4-1 from McCabe’s corner, Marie Detruyer reduced the deficit late on.

Denise O’Sullivan of Republic of Ireland is challenged by Jarne Teulings of Belgium. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

Iceland took the lead against Northern Ireland when Karolina Vilhjalmsdottir’s free kick was headed home by Glodis Viggosdottir. Jacqui Burns made a number of saves to keep the deficit to a single goal, Emily Wilson curled a rare effort wide for the hosts. Ingibjorg Sigurdardottir nodded the visitors two up from another Vihjalmsdottir set-piece.

Northern Ireland v Iceland in the UEFA Womens Nations League
Northern Ireland pressure Iceland in the UEFA Women’s Nations League. (Bob Hall Sports Photography)

Denmark have effectively sealed their tie with a 6-1 victory in Finland, where Pernille Harder ad Sara Holmgaard each bagged a brace. Emma Snerle and Sofie Svava got the first two goals for the Danes, Lotta Lindstrom a late consolation.

Michaela Khýrová’s goal gave Czech Republic a narrow 1-0 advantage to take to Austria on Tuesday.

Play-offs League B/C 1st Leg
Kosovo 0-4 Türkiye
Cyprus 3-2 Albania

Kader Hançar’s double in the first 10 minutes set Türkiye on the way to a 4-0 win in Kosovo.

Cyprus fought back from two down to defeat Albania 3-2, with Antri Violari scoring late in either half.

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