A number of West Ham United Women’s players were in action for their respective countries over the last three days, with the remaining matches of FIFA 2023 World Cup Qualifying taking centre stage.
On Thursday evening, Jess Ziu helped the Republic of Ireland to secure a play-off spot as they look to make it to the World Cup for the first time.
The Girls in Green defeated Finland 1-0, thanks to a second-half goal from substitute Lily Agg, to secure second place in Group A with one game left to play.
Opportunity now knocks for the Irish, as they begin to dream of Australia and New Zealand in 2023, but they must first finish the group with away trip to Slovakia on Tuesday.
Although they are already assured of second place, an away victory next week could enhance their seeding for the next stage.
Ziu played 85 minutes in the monumental victory on Thursday.
West Ham United winger, Izzy Atkinson has been called up for the match at the NTC Senec after some injuries in the Ireland camp.
Elsewhere, Dagný Brynjarsdóttir scored twice in a 6-0 win as Iceland put Belarus to the sword in Reykjavik on Friday.
Stelpurnar okkar knew that a win would take them top Group C going into their final game of qualifying – and a win looked likely against Belarus, who stood in sixth place in the table going into the game.
Sara Björk Gunnarsdóttir scored the opener from the penalty spot and then notched her second of the game on 15 minutes.
Brynjarsdóttir then weighed in with two goals of her own, whilst defender Glódís Perla Viggósdóttir and midfielder Selma Sól Magnúsdóttir also got on the scoresheet.
Iceland will now prepare for a massive match against the Netherlands in Utrecht, a game that will decide who finishes first and second in Group C.
Iceland have the advantage going into Tuesday’s game; they currently sit one point ahead Oranje and know that a draw will be good enough to see them qualify automatically for the World Cup in 2023.
Hawa Cissoko helped France to a convincing 9-0 victory over Estonia in their penultimate game of qualifying. Goals rained in at the Lilleküla Stadium with Delphine Cascarino, Grace Geyoro, former Hammer Kenza Dali on the scoresheet, as well as a double from Clara Matéo and four goals from Ouleymata Sarr.
Estonia had Siret Räämet and Vlada Kubassova sent off to make the contest pretty easy for the French, who will now face Greece on Tuesday evening.
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