Ireland go down fighting as France extinguish dream

Ireland's dream of automatic World Cup qualification was extinguished by France, who secured a 1-0 victory thanks to a spectacular overhead kick from Melvine Malard.

The Girls in Green needed a win to top their group and earn a direct ticket to the World Cup in Brazil next summer. Facing a highly talented French team, they fell just short, with Malard's 40th-minute goal proving decisive.

France, ranked seventh in the world, did not have an easy path. They had Thimoba Samoura sent off in the final 20 minutes for a second yellow card, and their goalkeeper Constance Picaud made crucial saves to deny Abbie Larkin and Anna Patten.

Despite the loss, Ireland will advance to the autumn's play-off semi-finals as a seeded country, a testament to a campaign filled with positives. The draw for the play-offs is scheduled for June 18 in Nyon.

France displayed meticulous attention to detail before the match, with their "swashbuckling side" hunting a win. The hosts generated significant energy before kick-off with pyrotechnics and smoke displays, which translated onto the pitch. France dominated the opening 15 minutes, creating several dangerous moments through players like Sandy Baltimore, Sakina Karchaoui, Grace Geyoro, Selma Bacha, and Grace Geyoro.

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France take a deserved lead and it's that woman Melvine Malard with an acrobatic finish