Greece vs Republic of Ireland Women Preview
The Republic of Ireland women’s national team continues their UEFA Nations League B2 campaign when they travel to Crete to face Greece on April 4th at 3:00 pm. The Girls in Green had a 50/50 start under new coach Carla Ward after a break of highs and lows in February.
Greece are still hunting for their first win in the Nations League this season. This looks like an excellent chance for Ireland to gain some traction in the early days of the Ward era. Will the Girls in Green play up to expectations, or will Greece put early pressure on the new head coach at Stadio Thódoros Vardinoyánnis?
Greece vs Republic of Ireland Women Predictions
Score prediction: Greece 1-2 Ireland
One of our soccer predictions is for Ireland to get the best of Greece at Stadio Thódoros Vardinoyánnis. The Carla Ward era is still in its infancy, but we can take a few things away from her opening two games as head coach. Her emphasis on high-pressure and patient attacking alongside defensive solidity will serve the Girls in Green well against a side that is winless in six games.
Ireland showed improvement in Ward’s first game in charge, a home win over Turkiye. They dominated the ball, finishing with 70% possession, and shutting out Turkiye, who never looked like scoring. The 4-0 loss to Slovenia that followed was a head-scratcher, with Ireland playing much of the same dominant football they had in the previous game. That scoreline did not reflect their performance. Ireland will dominate possession again to shut Greece out in attack.
Ward has instilled a greater sense of attacking fluidity in her squad. That has allowed Ireland to exploit their pace on the wings and through the midfield. The Republic of Ireland will probably set up in a 4-3-3 formation. They will play with an emphasis on controlling possession and stretching Greece’s defence wide. The full-backs will play a key role in supporting the wingers and overlapping when needed. That will overwhelm a Greek defence that has kept just one clean sheet in their last seven games.
Midfield control will also be crucial for the ROI. Denise O’Sullivan, with her passing range and creativity, will be integral in linking the defence to the attack. She will look to dictate the tempo of the match and find the runs of forwards behind Greece’s defensive lines. Ireland’s strategy will revolve around maintaining possession, applying pressure high up the pitch, and using their technical superiority to break down Greece’s defensive structure.
Ireland must stay aware of Greece’s danger on the counter. Two of the goals they conceded to Slovenia came through quick breaks. Greece will probably flood their midfield to deny Ireland space and track runners. They will look for opportunities to counter-attack with long balls against an exposed defence. That was an area of weakness in their last game. They must do better to keep their defence organised against counters.
Players To Watch
- Katie McCabe (Left Back, Ireland): Although primarily a left back, McCabe is a dynamic player who has shown her versatility for Ireland in midfield and as a winger. Her ability to cross the ball, deliver set-pieces, and create chances from wide areas will be crucial for Ireland in breaking down Greece’s defence. She will probably be recalled into her familiar left back role here to help keep the defence organised. McCabe will be the most influential player for the Girls in Green.
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- Athanasia Moraitou (Centre Mid, Greece): Athanasia Moraitou plays a crucial role in Greece’s midfield. She will be responsible for breaking up Ireland’s attacks and launching quick transitions. Her ability to read the game and distribute the ball efficiently will be important for Greece to stay competitive. Greece need to be compact and Moraitou will marshal her midfield to back up their defence.
Greece vs Republic of Ireland Women Betting Tips
- Full-Time Result: The odds online show Ireland as firm favourites for this game and they should leave Crete with the win. They have lost just one of their previous seven games, while Greece have only won twice in that same period. Carla Ward has had more time to drill this team since that disappointing result against Slovenia. They will not make the same mistakes twice. Bet on Ireland to win this game.
- Over 2.5 Goals: Ireland will dominate possession in this game and commit bodies forward to create chaos in the Greece box. They have a superior squad and playmakers who can create goals from anywhere. The Girls in Green will hold up their end of the bargain, and we think Greece could potentially steal a goal from a quick break. Bet on over 2.5 goals if you are betting on the over/under, worth 8/13.
- Goalscorer – Kyra Carusa (Ireland): Kyra Carusa will start in the forward line for the Girls in Green. She has three goals in her last six for her nation and is a versatile attacker, capable of playing out wide or through the middle. Carusa will spearhead a lot of Ireland’s attacking plays and be on the end of plenty of chances. UEFA Nations League betting will look favourably on Carusa to score in this game.
- Greece Double Chance: Ireland’s last result was somewhat of a shock, with nobody predicting Carla Ward’s team to be torn apart as easily as they were. Poor defending from set pieces and susceptibility to the counter-attack were their downfall. Those are two areas Greece will look to exploit as underdogs. They could shock the visitors. Bet on Greece to win or draw, worth 15/8.
Greece vs Republic of Ireland Head-To-Head and Key Stats
These sides last clashed in March 2020 for a European Championship qualifier. The Republic of Ireland secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Greece at Tallaght Stadium thanks to a first-half goal from Diane Caldwell. Ireland dominated the early stages, with Ruesha Littlejohn coming close with a curling shot that sailed over the bar. Ireland’s quick attacking play opened several opportunities. Caldwell’s well-timed cross to Harriet Scott forced a fine save by Greece’s goalkeeper.
Greece’s best chance in the first half came when goalkeeper Marie Hourihan fumbled a corner, but Ireland’s defence cleared the danger. The breakthrough came in the late stages of the first half when Caldwell netted from a knockdown by Louise Quinn, following a Katie McCabe corner. In the second half, Ireland continued to push, with Littlejohn narrowly missing a second goal. Greece made a more attacking shift, with Veatriki Sarri creating chances, but Ireland’s defence held firm for the victory.
The Republic of Ireland suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to Slovenia in their second UEFA Women’s Nations League match, the last time they took to the field. Slovenia took control early, with Lara Prasnikar opening the scoring in the 3rd minute. She fired into the top corner past Courtney Brosnan. Prasnikar doubled her tally with a near-post flick, and Zara Kamsar added a third with a close-range finish just before halftime.
Ireland struggled to respond, despite dominating possession in the second half. Denise O’Sullivan came closest to scoring, hitting the crossbar shortly after Slovenia’s fourth goal from substitute Nina Kajzba in the 82nd minute. Kajzba found space before blasting into the corner to seal the victory for Slovenia.
Greece last played at the end of February and laboured to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Turkey in a drab affair. That made it two defeats on the bounce for Greece after they lost to Slovenia days prior. The defeat sent them to the bottom of the UEFA Nations League B2, still searching for their first win in the tournament.
The decisive goal came in the 33rd minute, with Melike Pekel setting up Elif Keskin, who calmly finished past the goalkeeper after controlling a low cross at the edge of the penalty area. Despite both teams having chances, no further goals were scored, and Turkey held on for the win. This marked their first victory in the competition after Ireland beat them 1-0 in their opening fixture.
Greece Team News
Centre forward Sophia Koggouli has an opportunity to become the all-time top scorer for her nation following her call-up. She is currently on 24 goals and needs three to break that record. Chrysa Grigoriadou could make her debut following her recall to the squad. There are no real shocks and the squad remains much the same from the previous round of fixtures.
Predicted lineup: Giannakouli, Paterna, Palama, Kakambouki, Mitkou, Saich, Markou, Moraitou, Sarri, Kougouli and Papatheodorou.
Republic of Ireland Team News
Several players are unavailable for Carla Ward’s second ROI women’s squad. They include Louise Quinn, Tara O’Hanlon, Megan Connolly, Jamie Finn, Lily Agg, and Jess Ziu. However, defender Chloe Mustaki and forward Saoirse Noonan are included for the first time since the 2023-24 Women’s Nations League campaign. Shelbourne midfielder Aoibheann Clancy, who impressed in the SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division, also earns a spot in the squad.
Predicted lineup: Brosnan, Campbell, Mannion, Patten, McCabe, Littlejohn, O’Sullivan, Sheva, Quinn, Barrett and Carusa.
