Ireland 2 – Russia 2 (Russia win 4-2 on penalties)
There was heart break for the Irish Women’s Football team as they lost out in the Bronze Medal match to Russia on Friday evening as the Russian’s took the spoils on penalties, after they had come from two goals down midway through the second half.
Ireland got the dream start to the game as they hit the front in the 16th minute as Eleanor Ryan-Doyle’s cross was slammed to the net by Lauren Kelly. Ireland were under some pressure from the Russia girls during the opening half with Polina Organova stinging the palms of Amanda McQuillan on a couple of occasions, but Ireland led 1-0 at the break.
Ireland looked to be in the driving seat with twenty-six minutes left in the game as Laurne Kelly turned provider to set up Eleanor Ryan-Doyle to slip the ball under the on rushing Russian keeper to put Ireland two-nil in front.
With seventeen minutes remaining doubt began to creep into the Irish support as Russia pulled a goal back as Sofia Shishkina met a cross perfectly on the edge of the six-yard box and the ball nestled into the Irish net.
Smelling blood now the Russian’s went for the kill and were rewarded
with an equaliser on the 86th minute, as a free kick from Polina
Organova deflected off the wall and out of the reach of Amanda McQuillan to
send the game to spot kicks.
The luck shone on Russia in the spot kicks as their goalkeeper Tatina Shcherbak
would brilliantly save twice and with Eleanor Ryan-Doyle and Amanda McQuillan
the only two to score for Ireland, it was left to Victoriia Dubova to secure victory
as her penalty got past the best efforts of Amanda McQuillan to seal the bronze
medal for Russia.
While defeat was a hard pill to swallow on Friday evening,
the Irish team can be very proud of their exploits in Napoli and were given a
warm welcome home in Dublin Airport on Saturday evening by friends and family.
Ireland: Amanda McQuillan, Sadhbh Doyle, Lauren Dwyer, Shauna Fox, Lynn Craven, Chloe Mustaki, Niamh Farrelly (Jessica Gargan 78′), Lauren Kelly, Megan Smyth-Lynch, Eleanor Ryan-Doyle, Aislinn Meaney
2019 FISU Summer Universiade Women’s Football Results
Ireland 1-0 Brazil
Ireland 2-1 South Korea
Ireland 0-0 China (Ireland win 4-1 on penalties)
Ireland 0-5 North Korea
Ireland 2-2 Russia (Russia win 4-2 on penalties)
