Ireland managed to walk away with a 1-0 UEFA Nations League win against Albania in Shkoder, despite the terrible weather.
Heading into Tuesday's match, the Republic of Ireland knew that securing victory in Albania and a draw between Northern Ireland and Hungary in Belfast would allow them to top the group with two games remaining. This scenario materialized, as Northern Ireland and Hungary played to a 1-1 draw.
Having previously beaten Albania 5-1 in Dublin, the Republic of Ireland was expected to handle the Albanians with ease. However, the match quickly evolved into a frustrating experience for Eileen Gleeson's team.
𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲
The referee has decided to suspend play for 60 minutes due to the weather conditions.
A decision will then be made whether the game can be resumed. pic.twitter.com/A6ONhvFPAC— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) October 31, 2023
What began as a dry evening, with Kyra Carusa, Denise O'Sullivan, and Louise Quinn all missing early scoring opportunities, took an unexpected turn when torrential rainfall started to drench parts of the pitch just 20 minutes into the game, deteriorating playing conditions as the first half wore on.
When halftime arrived, large puddles covered sections of the field, prompting the referee to make an unprecedented decision to delay the start of the second half. The match resumed approximately 80 minutes later than scheduled.
In the end, Ireland fought for a tight 1-0 victory, with Denise O'Sullivan securing the win with a close-range finish just two minutes from the final whistle.
The moment that sealed the deal 👌#COYGIG | #OUTBELIEVE | #WeAreOne pic.twitter.com/ITQXMvM21o
— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) November 1, 2023
Ireland's group results on Tuesday confirmed their promotion to Nations League A, a significant boost for the players as they climbed through the ranks.
