Republic of Ireland manager Carla Ward praised her squad following their tight 3-2 victory over Poland in Gdansk. This result snaps a sequence of defeats against France and the Netherlands, injecting much-needed momentum into their Group A2 campaign. Ward felt her team controlled the match for the full ninety minutes, securing a much-needed away win in a tough environment.

Ireland established a strong early lead in Poland, courtesy of goals from Emily Murphy and captain Katie McCabe. Although Tanja Pawollek narrowed the gap before the interval, Marissa Sheva’s strike restored the buffer. Ewa Pajor forced a late scare for the hosts after the 78th minute, making the final moments tense for the travelling side.

Despite McCabe missing a penalty that could have sealed the affair earlier, the Irish defence held firm under late pressure. The win successfully lifts the Republic of Ireland above Poland in the standings, moving them into third place within the group. Attention now turns quickly to the return fixture scheduled for Saturday afternoon.

Ward insisted the performance was fully deserved, acknowledging the team competed well against three top opponents across the recent fixture window. Securing three points away from home in such a competitive setting gives the squad a major boost heading into their next contest.