Girls in Green stunned as Slovenia saunter to victory

The Republic of Ireland's aspirations of proving themselves to be an expansive, possession-based team received a serious reality check in Koper. This was as ugly as it was startling, an excellent Slovenia outfit exploiting several cracks in a flawed system to cruise to a 4-0 Nations League victory.

Carla Ward had urged her side not to slip into "chaos mode" in the wake of last Friday's 1-0 win against Turkey. However her decision to move Katie McCabe into an attacking midfield berth, leaving just Ruesha Littlejohn to protect a disjointed back four, massively backfired.

Ward was forced into a pre-kickoff reshuffle when the luckless Megan Campbell pulled out with a tight hamstring, but that alone couldn't excuse this Irish performance.

Lara Prasnikar (2) and Zara Kramzar had the hosts three goals to the good by the break. Nina Kajzba put the cherry on top with a fourth in the last ten minutes.

It was Ireland's heaviest defeat since October 2018 when they were beaten 4-0 by Poland, and one they'll have to stew on until the double-header against Greece in April.

Ireland actually started brightly, fizzing the ball around with precision and purpose.

Perhaps the Girls in Green were intoxicated by their early dominace, because they soon coughed up a startlingly cheap opener. In the third minute, Maja Sternad exploited a high and flat defensive line to loft one over the top for Eintracht Frankfurt's Prasnikar to chase. She steadied herself before guiding an assured left-footed finish beyond Courtney Brosnan.

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