You'd need to have a cold heart to begrudge Marissa Sheva her moment on Friday night.The American-born midfielder capped a bright cameo off the bench with a fine goal as the Republic of Ireland fired home a glut of late goals to beat Georgia 6-0 in their Euro 2025 play-off semi-final.Tomorrow night's return game in Tallaght is a non-event now, but for Sheva, a sweet moment in green was a long time coming.It’s 15 months since Hayley Raso went down like a sack of coal after feeling a Sheva nudge on her back 51 minutes into Ireland’s World Cup opener against Australia.
That split-second lapse in concentration gifted the Matildas a penalty and, ultimately, victory.Later, the cameras would capture a distraught Sheva on the bench, her eyes stung red with tears.Sheva fell out of favour after the tournament.
Vera Pauw was always an admirer of her capabilities, but her exit - and Eileen Gleeson's arrival - left Sheva out in the cold for almost a year as newer faces came on the scene.A move to Portland Thorns last March invigorated the pacy Pennsylvanian.Gleeson took notice, and last Friday she gave the 27-year-old her first minutes in 14 months as a replacement for Lily Agg.A sprightly showing, and of course that precious goal, meant a lot.
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