Pain in Grenoble but hope for Irish as play-offs loom

The Republic of Ireland women's national football team secured a play-off spot for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup on Tuesday, October 11, 2022, despite a 1-0 defeat against France in their final qualifying match. Manager Carla Ward expressed pride in her team's performance throughout the qualification campaign, acknowledging they narrowly missed out on automatic qualification. The sole goal of the match was scored by France's Grace Geyoro in the 45th minute, a result that confirmed France's top position in Group A with 27 points from 9 wins and 1 draw. Ireland finished second in the group with 20 points from 6 wins, 2 draws, and 1 loss. This second-place finish guarantees them a place in the European play-offs, offering a second chance to qualify for the World Cup.