Many a fixture is drilled to be hyped up with consequences so far reaching in terms of a team’s growth, but often the real influential outcomes of those games don’t surface until further down the line and become crisp with 20/20 hindsight- the matches that made the WNT.
Ireland’s 0-0 draw with the Netherlands in a World Cup qualifier back in November 2017 is standout in this category, with Colin Bell’s side defying all the odds to bag a hard earned point vs the then European champions in Nijmegen, Holland.
The fixture came seven months after the Irish WNT threatened to go on strike over poor and inadaquete treatment by the FAI. That mooted strike is seen by many as the turning point for this team. The glory days of qualification for a major tournament felt a long way away in the months after that famous press conference.
Before the game had kicked off, Ireland were 16/1 to win the match at the sold out 12,000 seater De Goffert Stadion, with the hosts coming in at a mere 1/12, despite both teams being unbeaten in their group up to that point in pursuit for a spot at the 2019 World Cup in France.
The fixture was expected to mark the Netherlands’ 12th successive victory, but a solid defensive display by The Girls In Green ensured the script was flipped.
'A Really Pivotal Moment That Changed The Mindset Of Thus Team'
In anticipation and respect of the quality of the Dutch outfit managed by Sarina Wiegman, who’s now at the helm of England and lead them to Euros glory last year, Bell transformed the formation Ireland were employing to a back five. He even switched the then midfielder Niamh Fahey back into centre back for the occasion.
Injury ruled out influential players such as Megan Campbell, Aine O’Gorman, Stephanie Roche, Ruesha Littlejohn and Claire Walsh, but Ireland still managed to regroup to hold out against the home side who hadn’t lost a qualifier for over three years.
28 November 2017; The Republic of Ireland team, back row, from left, Amber Barrett, Diane Caldwell, Marie Hourihan, Louise Quinn, Karen Duggan and Niamh Fahey with, front row, Harriet Scott, Katie McCabe, Denise O'Sullivan, Sophie Perry and Tyler Toland during the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup Qualifier match between Netherlands and Republic of Ireland at Stadion de Goffert in Nijmegen, Netherlands. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Ireland played the majority of the game with 10 women behind the ball, with Peamount United’s Amber Barrett up top often and often the furthest player up the pitch.
The opposition were glittered with big names such as Lieke Martens, Stephanie van der Gragt, Vivianne Miedema and Sherida Spitse but with Karen Duggan making a triumphant return alongside evolving stalwarts Louise Quinn and Diane Caldwell, things were vault tight at the back.
Goalkeeper Marie Hourihan starred throughout, even after she had picked up an injury in the second half that pressured her into kicking with her weaker foot, as did Katie McCabe, who captained the side at the ripe old age of 21.
The most controversial moment of the goalless game however surfaced with 87 minutes gone, when the Dutch group pleaded for a penalty after claiming Caldwell had handballed the ball in the box, although referee Russian referee Anastasia Pustovoitova didn’t agree.
Moments later she’d blow the whistle to wrap up the clash, sending the visitors into a lively frenzy of celebration.
28 November 2017; Republic of Ireland head coach Colin Bell and his players following the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup Qualifier match between Netherlands and Republic of Ireland at Stadion de Goffert in Nijmegen, Netherlands. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
They were going home with a point in their back pocket, closing out a dark year for the Irish WNT to finish out at the top of Group three, level with the night’s opponents.
Looking back on the fixture recently Caldwell mentioned how the game was a "big turning point" for the team.
"We would given teams hard games before, but we never got anything out with them and that was the first time we really made an upset and got points away from home against the European champions at the time.
"So I think that was a really pivotal moment to change the mindset in this team.”
While she mentions that she doesn't "remember so much" about the potential penalty debacle, she does reflect on what a "monumental occasion" it turned out to be.
"We showed that look, we can, we can defend for our lives. We can be difficult to break down and still cause teams struggle on the counter-attack. So that was a fantastic game and yeah, I'll never forget it.
"We had our moments, but again, it was the building blocks for what was to come for sure...[defending] is the foundation of our success.
We don't just have four or five defenders, you know, maybe we have 11 defenders. So it just makes us so strong when we have so much pressure and aggression around the ball"
"It makes it very difficult for teams and again, we have, we have our secret weapons as well to hurt team so that you have that balance kind of just defending the whole game."I think that's what we've really progressed on and added to our game now, which makes us threat and makes us hard for our teams."
What a year for #IRLWNT in qualification as they sit joint top of the group following a fantastic draw at the home of the European Champions! #YearInReview #COYGIG pic.twitter.com/mk9jX1IaAB
— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) December 31, 2017
Matches That Made Us: Netherlands 0-0 Ireland 2017- The impact
After the match, Duggan told FIFA.com that securing a share of the spoils that day was “one of the best moments of [her] life.”
“And that was just one game, so to qualify for a major tournament, I can only imagine how good it would feel” she said.
🎥 New Year, new standards....
2017 was a huge year for the #IRLWNT🇮🇪 but the hard work has already begun on making sure 2018 is even better! 🙌#COYGIG 💪💪 pic.twitter.com/9kwpypicB8— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) January 16, 2018
She also described how this all occurred within a choppy time within the organisation in Ireland, with former UEFA Women’s Champions League winner Colin Bell coming on as the first full time manager giving them “a boost.”
In spite of that lift though Ireland ran out of steam later in the campaign and wouldn’t go on to qualify for their first ever major tournament just yet, facing that tough opposition again as well as Norway and Slovakia, with the former two going on to make it out of the group.
It did however provide a brief glimpse of the ability and possibilities within the team, with many of the young guns then turning out to become some of the first names on the teamsheet today.
THE NETHERLANDS: Sari van Veenendaal; Desiree van Lunteren (Renate Jansen 46), Anouk Dekker, Stephanie van der Gragt, Dominique Janssen; Jackie Groenen, Sherida Spitse (c), Danielle van de Donk (Kike van Es 83); Shanice van de Sanden (Jill Roord 59), Vivianne Miedema, Lieke Martens.
IRELAND: Marie Hourihan; Sophie Perry, Louise Quinn, Diane Caldwell, Harriet Scott; Tyler Toland, Niamh Fahey, Karen Duggan, Katie McCabe (c); Denise O’Sullivan, Amber Barrett (Leanne Kiernan 46).
