Preview: Understrength Ireland eye Colorado upset against the USA

RTÉ News​

2 days ago

USA v Republic of Ireland, Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, Colorado, 7pm local time), 2am Irish time, (Live on the RTÉ Player)
It's a summer jaunt to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains for the Repulic of Ireland, who take on the world No 1-ranked USA in the first of two friendlies tonight.
Carla Ward's squad have been training 1.1 miles above sea level since Sunday. The heat is tough; but that altitude is a real killer.
Ward admitted that just strolling to get a coffee took a toll on her, so we can assume she'll fully utilise her bench throughout tonight's clash at the 18,000-capacity Dick's Sporting Goods Park.
Given the players she's missing, Ward options look pretty thin.
Katie McCabe, Aoife Mannion, Heather Payne, Jamie Finn, Lily Agg, Jess Ziu and Leanne Kiernan didn't travel. On Wednesday, it was confirmed Denise O'Sullivan and Megan Campbell are both out after picking up knocks.
Trying to further develop Ward's preferred expansive style against such a strong outfit, minus her best players, all while avoiding a morale-damaging hammering, is going to be tricky.
There's a real air of familiarity around the 16th meeting of these sides.
Ward worked with the USA under her good friend Emma Hayes during last year's Paris Games, and frequently turns to the ex-Chelsea manager for advice. Hayes has rested all of her European-based players for these friendlies with the exception of Naoimi Girma, who became the world's first million-dollar female footballer last January when she moved from San Diego Wave to Chelsea.
Four Americans have been called up for the first time (Lilly Reale, Jordyn Bugg, Izzy Rodriguez and Sam Meza) with the squad averaging just over 18 caps. The average age of the panel is 24.5.
That makes these clashes slightly less daunting, but make no mistake, the USA are laced with serious quality. And they're not all rookies either.
World Cup winner and Olympic champion Rose Lavelle is included. The Gotham FC midfielder, who has 110 caps and 24 international goals under her belt, is back in the fold after recovering from ankle surgery. Seattle Reign's Lynn Biyendolo (80), Gotham defender Emily Sonnett (108), Sam Coffey (35) of the Portland Thorns and Girma (46) have a further 269 caps between them.
They'll provide the spine, with the fresher faces hungry as hell to impress as they aim to force their way into Hayes' longer-term plans for the 2027 World Cup.
The USA have beaten Ireland 15 times out of 15, most recently in April 2023 when they prevailed 1-0 in Missouri. The Girls in Green have conceded 51 times across those clashes and only scored once, so this was always going to be difficult, even with a full-strength team.
Therefore Ward is prioritising performances over results.
Chloe Mustaki has been in the last couple of squads but is still waiting to get some minutes under Ward. The Bristol City full-back will expect to get a shot here, as will Erin Healy, the San Diego-born Adelaide United attacker. She was in the fold for the Turkey and Slovenia games earlier this month but has yet to make her debut. Ward has promised she'll feature in some capacity.
Ellen Molloy has been in fine form for Wexford, while Izzy Atkinson will hope to reward Ward's show of faith in her if she gets called upon. Atkinson is currently without a club after being released by Crystal Palace.
It could be a special evening too for goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan, in line to win her 50th Ireland cap. She might wear the armband in the absence of McCabe and O'Sullivan.
Assistant coach Amber Whiteley has travelled and is still waiting to hear if she's got the Liverpool job on a permanent basis. Ward has further bolstered her backroom team by temporarily bringing in ex-Manchester United No 2 Charlotte Healy, who was named Bristol City boss on Tuesday.
There's loads of links here that will make this a friendly in every sense of the word. O'Sullivan (NC Courage) and Kyra Carusa (San Diego Wave) ply their trade in the NWSL; five of the squad were born in America (Brosnan, Chloe Mustaki, Marissa Sheva, Carusa and Healy); while 11 of them played college football in the States.
There'll be plenty of high fives and warm embraces afterwards, but this is an important assignment for Ireland given it's Ward's last chance to really get a look at the wider squad before October's Nations League promotion/relegation play-off against Belgium.
Ireland came away with two respectable defeats when Vera Pauw brought them here last time, but in truth they clung to the ropes and tried to frustrate their vaunted opponents for as long as possible.
Ward needs more than that in Denver, and again on Sunday when they square up in Cincinnati. She's committed to implementing a possession-based style so there's no point in scrunching that blueprint up and tossing it aside just because the level of opposition is higher.
Then again, considering the players she's missing, it might be wise to batten down the hatches, at least for the first hour.
It could be a long 90 minutes for the visitors in the Mile High City if they ship an early goal. They'll need courage, resilience and the rub of the green to keep this competitive and head for Cincinnati in good spirits.
Republic of Ireland squad
Goalkeepers: Courtney Brosnan (Everton), Grace Moloney (Unattached), Sophie Whitehouse (Charlton Athletic)
Defenders: Jessie Stapleton (West Ham United), Anna Patten (Aston Villa), Caitlin Hayes (Brighton & Hove Albion), Hayley Nolan (Crystal Palace), Chloe Mustaki (Bristol City), Megan Campbell (Unattached)
Midfielders: Denise O'Sullivan (North Carolina Courage), Megan Connolly (Lazio), Tyler Toland (Blackburn Rovers), Ruesha Littlejohn (Shamrock Rovers), Marissa Sheva (Sunderland), Ellen Molloy (Wexford)