Carla Ward highlights the biggest challenges Ireland will have to face in their tour against the USA
CARLA Ward will be hoping her Ireland team can hit the heights when they face world No 1 side USA in the mile-high city of Denver this week.
Attitude will not be a problem in Thursday's game for the Girls in Green, who then meet the Yanks in a second friendly next Sunday in Cincinnati.
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In Ireland and the USA's last six meetings USA won all six and Ireland failed to score
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Denise O'Sullivan and Kyra Carusa are Ireland's only US-based players
But altitude might, with the match taking place 1,600m above sea level in Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Colorado.
The Ireland head coach also has to deal with the fact that most of her players are in their off-season, compared to a USA squad drawn almost exclusively from the National Women's Soccer League that is in the middle of its campaign.
Ireland rounded out their Nations League campaign with a May 30
Ward, whose side arrived in the USA on Saturday, said: 'After the Nations League, it was the first time the players got to go on holiday.
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'They've had a programme leading into this, but you can never prepare for altitude without being here. So we've come a day earlier. On Monday we'll be on the grass.'
The boss was feeling the effects of altitude after an early-morning gym session. Even walking to grab a coffee with some of her management team was a chore.
She added: 'The altitude is going to be really difficult. So the more we can get the players out there feeling it, the better.'
The gaffer noted the challenge of taking on the Americans, who have a 100 per cent record in head-to-head clashes.
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Ward added: 'We're talking about not just playing the world No 1, we're playing the world No 1 that are in season. All their players got games this weekend. Our players have been off their feet for a few weeks.'
Ward will be able to call on her two NWSL players who are joining the camp today.
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Denise O'Sullivan played in North Carolina Courage's 2-1 win over Houston Dash on Saturday, with Kyra Carusa lining out with San Diego last night.
The boss said: 'It's difficult any time to face this beast of the USA. When you add in those other factors — in this heat, this altitude, it's going to be difficult. Anyone around the world would find it difficult to beat the US.
'The result is not what we're going after. It's more continuing the process and building on what we are doing.
'We'd be foolish to say we are coming here to win these games of football but we have to look bigger than that, where we're at and trying to build.'
Ireland are missing a number of players, including captain Katie McCabe who has been given time off after her lengthy season with European champions Arsenal.
Aoife Mannion, Heather Payne, Tara O'Hanlon, Jamie Finn, Lily Agg, Jess Ziu, Leanne Kiernan and Aoibheann Clancy were not included in the squad.
Ward added: 'We've got quite a young squad here so there'll be a few players we'll look at across both games. We have to make sure we put ourselves in a position to be competitive.
'Across the two games I'd like to think we can have a look at a decent amount of players.'
The visitors arrive on the back of a good win over Slovenia in Cork at the start of the month — a result that sealed a Nations League
Ward said: 'I do think we've had a positive campaign — five wins from six. You can't say it's not been a positive campaign.'
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