Rampant USA too hot for Ireland to handle once again in scorching Cincinnati heat

Irish Independent

29-06-2025

Ireland produced some better moments, many from Emily Murphy, but not of sufficient sustenance to offset their inability to either win the ball consistently, or then retain it.
When Borussia Dortmund played in this TQL stadium last week, their subs stayed in the air-conditioned dressing room rather than take seats in the arena.
Ireland's reserves eschewed such an option; it would not have seemed an apt sign of solidarity with their tiring colleagues.
They began with the high defensive position head coach Carla Ward insisted had worked well in Denver before her team 'blew up' by the 50th minute.
But, as per usual, poor passing invited pressure for lengthy periods until they enjoyed a brief flourish in between two first-half concessions to Lynn Biyendolo and Izzy Rodriguez. Yazmeen Ryan atoned for much profligacy when netting a deserved third in the 65th minute. Sub Alyssa Thompson, the scourge of the tourists, completed the scoring with a well-finished fourth in the 86th minute.
Ward would have rotated her entire team, like counterpart Emma Hayes, were she capable; regrettably, her players were not, a clutch still only deemed physically ready to play only a handful of minutes. Ruesha Littlejohn's Achilles injury restricted her to a cameo when the day was done and with Megan Connolly also dropping out, Tyler Toland and Marissa Sheva filled in at midfield.
Amber Barrett was not required to repeat her fruitless chasing of the channels, Saoirse Noonan deployed as a hold-up merchant instead, with Abbie Larkin's youthful exuberance preferred to Lucy Quinn. Noonan's ability to retain possession earned her side an early free-kick after Kyra Carusa was fouled collecting her flick; Anna Patten headed weakly wide from Chloe Mustaki's lofted delivery.
Hydration breaks were in operation but the first came earlier than the Irish would have wished as the hot and bothered visitors conceded early. Once more, inability to retain simple possession damned them in the 11th minute.
The US recycled swiftly and decisively on the right flank from where Sam Mears scythed to the bye-line, before zapping a cross that free-scoring veteran Biyendolo nonchalantly volleyed for her 25th international goal with the side of her foot. One captain defying another.
Looming clouds above no longer threatened the forecast rain but merely heightened the oppressive humidity, with the mercury not dipping below 30 degrees throughout. The hosts found the net before the first official water break but the captain's close-range prod was rubbed out by Ryan's foul on right-back Jessie Stapleton, once more enduring discomfort out of position.
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Ireland were better on the other flank, with Larkin offering some neat touches and turns; inspiration was rare. Murphy had a fine break but, with defence stretched and Carusa on her right, she failed to make the pass. She was then floored while trying to meet Stapleton's cross from a rare sortie; slowly, the only way in this heat, and surely, Ireland were regaining confidence.
Their best moment of the week, as the US passing rates dipped, arrived before the break, Murphy again through the middle with the burst, fouled but still releasing Noonan, then finding Carusa whose arrowed drive went narrowly wide of Mandy McGlynn's left-hand post.
US boss Hayes gave debuts to Sam Meza in midfield and Rodriguez at left-back and Jessie Stapleton would have been relieved that livewire Thompson began on a stronger bench to back up this weakened side, the least experienced in 24 years. It hardly showed.
As in Denver, Ireland couldn't make it to half-time; this time undone by a pretty necklace of intricate passes inside the area, evading a green phalanx before Rodriguez celebrated a debut goal, pinging in a rebound after Sears' searing shot was saved by Brosnan.
As in Denver, the US jogged off; Ireland trudged. They switched to a back five at the interval, Ward presumably attempting to avoid the physical 'blow up' that her side suffered on Thursday.
The changes made little impact, Ireland now constantly penned in, a looming home bench press poised. Chances came and were wasted regularly by re-established, dominant hosts.
Ireland's flight to Heathrow couldn't come quickly enough.
USA: McGlynn; Sams, Bugg, McKeown; Bethune (Sentnor 63), Meza (Lavelle 88), Rodriguez, Moultrie (Hutton 80); Sears, Ryan (Thompson 80), Biyendolo capt (Coffey 63).
Ireland: Brosnan; Stapleton, Hayes, Patten (Littlejohn 75), Mustaki (Nolan ht); Larkin (Quinn ht), Toland (Atkinson 84), Sheva, Murphy (Connolly ht), Carusa; Noonan (Barrett 58).
Ref: Janeishka Caban (Puerto Rico).