02:51
football, Women's International Friendlies
Republic of Ireland manager Vera Pauw is delighted by the return of fans for the friendly against Australia at Tallaght Stadium. Spectators will back in the Dublin venue for the first time in 18 months after Covid restrictions were eased. It's a first meeting between the sides with the Republic aiming to end a run of seven straight defeats. "We take on an elite team in Australia, but crucially we get to play in front of our own fans again," said Pauw. Australia finished fourth at the Tokyo Olympics and are ranked 11th in the world. "We are really looking forward to having our fantastic fans back in Tallaght Stadium after so long - it has not been the same without the special atmosphere that they create and the support that they give to our players," added Pauw. "Irish fans are known around the world for their passion, colour and pride. It is no secret that they help to drive our players on during certain periods of a game and they have never let us down. "We have had some truly memorable nights in Tallaght already and Tuesday can be another one. "It would be fantastic to get as many fans as possible into Tallaght Stadium on Tuesday as we - the players and staff - would like to give something back to them. We've missed our fans so much, but now we can end that wait with this game. The game is a warm-up for the Republic as they prepare to begin their World Cup qualifying campaign next month. An away opener against Sweden on 21 October is followed by a Dublin qualifier with Finland five days later - Slovakia and Georgia are also in Group A.
2021-09-21
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