Just how daunting will Belgium prove for Ireland in the Women's Nations League play-offs?
If the Republic of Ireland had any designs on getting back to top tier status in the Women's Nations League, they were always going to have to run a tough gauntlet.
Last week's 1-0 win over Slovenia at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, which delivered a modicum of salvation for Carla Ward's side after February's crushing 4-0 away defeat in Koper, meant the Girls in Green won't be promoted from League B automatically.
They can still go up to League A but to do so they must get through a two-legged promotion/relegation play-off in October.
The draw for that was made on Friday and pits Ireland against a Belgium team that reside six places higher than the Girls in Green in the FIFA rankings.
Speaking on the RTÉ Soccer Podcast, Shelbourne midfielder and former Ireland international Rachel Graham examined the task that awaits Ward's team in four months' time against a side that have had mixed fortunes against the very elite in recent months.
"No matter who we were getting in that draw, it was going to be tough but I think Belgium have made big improvements over the last number of years," she said.
"They've played in League A of the Nations League the last two years. Their results have been a bit mixed within their group this year.
"They lost 5-0 to England and then went on to beat them 3-2, and only narrowly lost out to Spain. They lost 3-2, conceded in the 93rd and 96th minutes, so a really late defeat for them.
"But they also then went and lost 5-1 to Spain, so a bit mixed and their last result then beating Portugal 3-0.
"They're definitely a top team, probably at a better level than we are at the moment.
"They have some good key players like their captain up front, Tessa Wullaert. She plays for Inter Milan and she has (more than) 90 goals for Belgium which is an amazing achievement. She's definitely going to be a big threat for them."
As Graham pointed out, Belgium may have never qualified for a World Cup to date, unlike Ireland, but their major tournament experience is extensive having featured at the two previous European Championships and they will be at the upcoming 2025 edition in Switzerland next month which will be broadcast across RTÉ.
"We'll get to see plenty of them. In their group, they'll play Spain, Italy and Portugal so at least three really good competitive games for them and they're probably going to be in better shape going into the game in October against us, having played those competitive games," she added.
"Obviously, it's going to be really tough (for Ireland). The end goal is to get to the World Cup and we're obviously going to do that through a play-off position and if we do get to League A, it'll be a bit easier.
"But if we do lose the play-off and stay in League B, it's a chance to work on the possession side of our game and we will get a play-off but it would just be a bit harder.
"It's going to be really tough. Ideally, we would have been away in the first leg and at home in the second leg but it's reversed around. But look, it's obviously going to prove really tough but either way we can take positives from it."
Ireland will have a friendly double-header against the USA at the end of this month, with some experimentation expected given the likes of captain Katie McCabe are set to be rested.
One area Graham is keen to see more stability in is right back with natural centre backs deployed there of late.
"When we do come up against the better teams, we will need someone a bit more quick and dynamic in that role," she said.
"Anna Patten is now suspended for the first leg against Belgium and you'd imagine Jessie Stapleton will slot back into centre half and we spoke last week about maybe getting Jamie Finn back in as soon as possible.
"She's back playing for the Birmingham 19s, back fully training, so she should be definitely back by October.
"It would be great if she was named in these friendlies now against USA to even just get her back around the camp, get her back training, get her minutes in the games because I think she's going to be our best option to play in there going forward."
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