The French women's national team successfully started their 2027 World Cup qualifying campaign, defeating Ireland 2-1 away. Despite the hosts taking the lead through a goal by Katie McCabe, two second-half goals from Melvine Malard secured victory for "Les Bleues." In other matches, England thrashed Ukraine 6-1, and Northern Ireland lost to Switzerland 0-2. The on-field events were accompanied by a protest gesture from Iranian players, who refused to sing their national anthem.

Malard's Brace Saves France

Coming off the bench, Melvine Malard scored two goals in eight minutes, turning the match against Ireland in Dublin around.

England Crushes Ukraine

The European champions showed their excellent side in the match against Ukraine, winning 6-1 with two goals from Alessia Russo.

Protest by Iranian Players

During their match, players from Iran did not sing the national anthem, which resonated widely as a political statement.

The inauguration of the 2027 Women's World Cup qualifiers brought immense excitement to fans, particularly during the clash in Dublin. The Irish team, carried by the support at Tallaght Stadium, took the lead thanks to a goal from their biggest star, Katie McCabe. The first half belonged to the hosts, who effectively neutralized the attacks of the favored opponents. However, after the break, the picture of the game changed dramatically when the French coach made adjustments to his team's setup. The FIFA Women's World Cup, whose first edition took place in 1991 in China, has become one of the world's fastest-growing sporting events in terms of viewership over the last decade.The heroine of the match was Melvine Malard, who scored twice in just eight minutes. Her quick brace shook the Irish defense and turned the match around. Despite desperate attempts to equalize in the closing stages, Eileen Gleeson's players failed to recover. The defeat was felt particularly painfully by Megan Connolly, who in post-match comments did not hide her disappointment at not even getting a point. The Irish squad situation is further complicated by injuries to McCabe and Denise O'Sullivan, casting doubt on their participation in the upcoming match against the Netherlands. Sporting relations between Ireland and France are often fraught with controversy, the most famous example being Thierry Henry's handball in 2009, which deprived the Irish men's team of a chance to qualify for the World Cup.A lot was happening on other pitches as well. The England national team, led by Sarina Wiegman, confirmed its dominance in Europe by scoring six goals against Ukraine. Alessia Russo scored two goals for the "Lionesses." Meanwhile, the Northern Ireland women's team, despite a spirited performance under interim manager Kris Lindsay, lost 0-2 in Switzerland. Alongside the purely sporting results, world media circulated news of an act of courage by Iranian players. They decided to remain silent during the playing of the national anthem, which was interpreted as a gesture of solidarity with freedom movements in their homeland. „I feel like somebody's stabbed me in the heart” — Megan Connolly[{"strona1": "Ireland", "strona2": "France", "wynik1": 1, "wynik2": 2}, {"strona1": "Ukraine", "strona2": "England", "wynik1": 1, "wynik2": 6}, {"strona1": "Switzerland", "strona2": "Northern Ireland", "wynik1": 2, "wynik2": 0}]8 — minutes it took Melvine Malard to score the two goals that decided France's victory

Mentioned People

  • Melvine Malard — French forward, author of two goals in the match against Ireland.
  • Katie McCabe — Captain of the Republic of Ireland national team, scorer of her team's only goal.
  • Sarina Wiegman — Head coach of the England women's national team.
  • Alessia Russo — Forward for the England national team, scorer of two goals against Ukraine.