World Cup play-offs: Job done for Ireland as Poland eye revenge after Belgium scalp

14 Oct 2026, 16:58 by Emma Duffy · The42

1. Job done for Ireland

SIX WEEKS, TWO more cup finals. That was Carla Ward’s message in the Ireland huddle after they completed their World Cup play-off semi-final rout of Kazakhstan.

Katie McCabe and co. celebrated as they rounded Páirc Uí Chaoimh to the tune of ‘Put ‘em Under Pressure’ and Kabin Crew’s ‘The Spark,’ but it was very much a case of job done, onto the next.

These two games against minnows Kazakhstan – 78 places inferior in the world rankings – were always going to be a formality ahead of December’s final. Question the format, but Ireland could only beat what was in front of them.

And they did so with two professional performances. The 4-0 win in Cork didn’t quite match the 8-0 demolition job in Astana last Friday, but overall, Ward will be pleased with the window.

Ireland had 10 different goalscorers - Kyra Carusa, Jessie Stapleton (two each), Chloe Mustaki, Abbie Larkin, Emily Murphy, Jamie Finn, Shanade Hopcroft, Katie McCabe, Denise O’Sullivan and Lucy Quinn – and 20 players featured across both games. They came through without any major injury concerns – Jess Ziu and Chloe Mustaki sustained knocks, but the soundings seem positive – and didn’t pick up any yellow cards to threaten suspensions.

Larkin and Stapleton were among the standout performers this window as competition increases, and Ireland seem in a good place ahead of the two-legged play-off final in December.

2. Poland stun Belgium and eye revenge

Many will be slightly happier with Poland as opponents rather than Belgium, after the opposite side of the play-off draw produced a shock on Tuesday night. Ireland have beaten both in the past year, edging Belgium 5-4 on aggregate in the Nations League promotion/relegation play-off to secure their League A spot for the World Cup qualifiers, where they defeated Poland 3-2 away and 1-0 at Aviva Stadium. Ireland will feel they had the Poles’ number, but Belgium are a more unpredictable, up-and-down proposition.

They led 1-0 after a tight and tense first leg in Leuven. Elena Dhont’s first-half injury-time goal was ultimately the difference after both side’s star strikers, Tessa Wullaert and Ewa Pajor, saw penalties saved. Belgium dominated the stats – 17 attempts, 11 on target, versus 11 and six; 30 touches in the opposition box v 26; and 52.1% possession v 47.9% – and arguably should have led by more ahead of the second leg in Gdańsk.

But Poland made their home advantage count on a dramatic night, winning 4-3 on penalties after a 3-2 thriller deadlocked the aggregate. Barcelona star Pajor levelled the tie in the 42nd minute, before Amy Littel gave Belgium the edge again shortly after her half-time introduction. Paulina Tomasiak’s 67th-minute goal ultimately sent the game to extra time, where Jarne Teulings thought she had won it for the Belgians before Pajor struck in the 116th minute. The home hero missed her spot kick, but it mattered little as second-choice goalkeeper Kinga Seweryn saved two. The Poles were excellent throughout, bossing the attacking stats and holding their nerve to spring an upset.

Their bid to reach a first World Cup continues, having qualified for Euro 2025 – their maiden major tournament – in style. They lost to Austria twice in the group qualifiers, but turned them over in the play-off final. Undoubtedly seeking similar revenge here, Ireland will be mindful of not letting history repeat itself.

3. Ireland’s play-off history

Happy memories of Hampden Park and that 1-0 win over Scotland in October 2022 – four years ago last Sunday – that sent Ireland to their first World Cup will be front and centre in the coming weeks: from Amber Barrett’s toe poke, to Courtney Brosnan’s penalty save.

Two years on from the Euro 2025 play-off defeat to Wales, and a gut-wrenching second leg loss at Aviva Stadium, the message is clear. “Forget Wales,” Ward – who succeeded Eileen Gleeson shortly afterwards – told the media. “Honestly, forget Wales. We have come a long way since then.”

In the same format, Ireland eased past minnows Georgia 9-0 on aggregate in the semi-final before a 1-1 first-leg draw in Wales and a brutal 2-1 loss in Dublin. Ireland didn’t attack the tie away, and struggled with the favourites tag; the team have progressed, and harsh lessons have been learned.

This is the fourth play-off campaign in the Girls in Green’s history: their first was a 4-1 Euro 2009 aggregate loss to Iceland. The target is now two successful bids for back-to-back World Cup spots.

4. Aiming for a first Aviva sellout

The final whistle at Páirc Uí Chaoimh hadn’t long sounded, and Ward and her players were issuing rallying cries for Aviva Stadium on 5 December with a 5pm kick-off confirmed. The first leg is in Gdańsk earlier that week, but Ireland’s seeded status sees them enjoy home advantage for the second game. Qualification on home soil would be the dream.