Megan Campbell returns when Sweden confirms place for visit to Ireland
Sweden has confirmed that their World Cup qualifier for women against Ireland on April 12 will be played at the 14,500-seat Gamla Ullevi in Gothenburg.
An audience of 13,429 participated in the Swedes’ 2-1 victory over Nordic rivals, which broke the record for a qualifying match at the stadium, and another great turnout is expected for the visit of Vera Pauw’s Ireland.
A perfect record with five straight wins in the campaign has placed the nation in second place in Fifa’s position on the brink of automatic qualification for the 2023 World Cup in New Zealand and Australia.
Peter Gerhardsson’s team will confirm the top spot with two games to go if those who seem inevitable would see bottom seed from Georgia – which Ireland beat 11-0 – in Tbilisi on April 7.
Sweden moved its last home qualifier, the 3-0 victory over Slovakia, to Malmö but has chosen to return to the arena which has become synonymous with the successes of this generation.
Ireland are locked in a battle with Finland for second place, which would earn a play-off, and everything they get from their trip to Gothenburg would be considered bonus territory.
It took an own goal from Louise Quinn, who deflected in an attempt from new Arsenal recruit Stina Blackstenius, to separate the team in Tallaght in October, but Ireland will face it when they duel with the best team in Europe.
The Girls in Green will have three games left after that to complete their mission; the rebooked visit to Georgia in June followed by the final double match in September at home against Finland and away against Slovakia.
Pauw signaled her intention to gather her squad only during next month’s international window.
The Pinatar tournament in Spain, where Scotland, Belgium and Russia have been flagged for interference, was mentioned by the Dutchman as a preference but there has been no confirmation so far.
Whatever matches Ireland has planned, Megan Campbell is in line for a return.
Injuries have plagued the left-back for over two years, but she is ready for her first international match since Pauw’s first match as manager, in October 2019 against Ukraine, after breaking into the Liverpool team.
One of Campbell’s long throws specialists led Katie Stengel to lead a late winner against Watford on Sunday, extending the Reds’ lead at the top of the Championship to seven points and keeping them on track for promotion to the Super League.
Defender’s compatriots, captain Niamh Fahey and goal scorer Leanne Kiernan, also started for Pool.
