Louise Quinn ready for latest duel with Blackstenius

Louise Quinn is ready for yet another duel with Sweden's star striker Stina Blackstenius tomorrow night - and hoping this time it's the Republic of Ireland who get the rub of the green when the sides face off in their World Cup qualifier.

Last October Blackstenius' 39th-minute shot ricocheted off Quinn's instep and trickled into the net. It was enough to settle the game after Ireland had largely contained their illustrious opponents.

Blackstenius has since moved to Arsenal and came up against Quinn - who plays for Birmingham City - in the Women's Super League last month. The Gunners won 4-2, but it was another chance for the Irish defender to get a close look at the forward she knows pretty well.

Quinn first came up against the attacker eight years ago when she was playing with Swedish outfit Eskilstuna United DFF and a teenage Blackstenius was making waves at Linkopings FC.

"Ah, she took a shot that was off target and it hit me!" rued the 31-year-old when reflecting on Sweden's victory in Tallaght.

"No, of course, she's class, and I would have played against her years ago in Sweden as well. Obviously she was a lot younger and everyone was like, 'she's gonna be a big player for Sweden one day'. Definitely, you could see it.

"She's so powerful, extremely fast. But being able to play against her, you do just learn little things. You learn what she's good at and you then have to know how to try and rule that out.

"Listen, it helps that Katie (McCabe) plays with her. Any extra little things that you can pick up and take, that'll be something I'll be looking at. You have your battle against their 11, but I definitely try to have little individual battles and make it a one-v-one that I want to win.

"And if you don't win one of them,