NORTHERN Ireland lost 2-0 to a strong Poland team as their second UEFA Women’s Nations League campaign got under way.
The Poles, the top seeds in League B Group 1, proved to be tough opponents at the Gdansk Stadium.
Poland, who will be playing at UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 in Switzerland this summer, dominated for long periods, creating plenty of chances.
And two goals in quick succession in the first half proved to be decisive.
Northern Ireland, who are second seeds in B1 and were captained by full-back Rebecca McKenna as she earned her 50th cap, found it difficult to get a foothold in the game.It was a pretty cagey start.
Poland had the ball in the net in the 10th minute. However midfielder Ewelina Kamczyk was adjudged to have fouled Northern Ireland keeper Jackie Burns before she clipped the ball home.
Then, in the 12th minute, Poland striker Natalia Padilla-Bidas tested Burns, but the keeper was equal to it and pushed the ball away for a corner.
From the resulting corner, taken by midfielder Ewelina Kamczyk, the ball was guided wide by the other main striker in the Polish team, their captain Ewa Pajor.
The home side took the lead on 17 minutes. Defender Oliwia Wos played a long ball over the top to Kamczyk, who held off McKenna before lobbing the ball over the advancing Burns and into the net.Padilla-Bidas steered an effort wide before Poland extended their lead in the 20th minute.
Pajor beat her marker before slipping the ball to midfielder Adriana Achcinska and she stroked the ball into the back of the net via a post.
Pajor continued to cause headaches for the Northern Ireland defence. A well-struck shot from the striker was blocked by Laura Rafferty.
Joely Andrews and McKenna combined well down the right, however the Polish defence blocked Andrews’ cross into the area.
Pajor was in the thick of it again shortly after, although Rebecca Holloway managed to track her run before nicking the ball away.On 34 minutes a deflected shot from midfielder Martyna Wiankowska was gathered in by Burns as the home side continued to press.
Rafferty superbly blocked another Pajor drive and just before half-time the Polish striker threatened once more.
In added time at the end of the first half Kamczyk’s delivery from a corner found Wiankowska. However Burns comfortably stopped her effort.
After the break a shot by Achcinska from the edge of the area was well off target.
Burns then made a great save from Pajor, the main tormentor of the Northern Ireland defence.
A Lauren Wade corner into the six-yard area was snuffed out by the Polish defence before Rachel Dugdale’s last ditch tackle prevented Kamczyk from potentially burying an opportunity.
Wade found Northern Ireland substitute Ellie Mason down the left and her dangerous-looking cross was cut out by the home defence.
Burns comfortably saved a shot from Polish sub Klaudia Jedlinska, while down the other end Northern Ireland striker Simone Magill was surrounded by Polish defenders before she could get a shot away.
On 74 minutes 18-year-old striker Kascie Weir made her senior international debut, replacing Magill.
Moments later another sub, Caragh Hamilton, cleverly cut in from the flank. However her cross was diverted and gathered by Polish keeper Kinga Szemik.Padilla-Bidas, who was having a quiet game by her standards, burst into life in the 80th minute. She poked a shot towards goal which Burns managed to touch away with her foot.
Polish defender Martyna Wiankowska and substitute Weronika Zawistowska both had tame efforts as the game fizzled out.
Northern Ireland, who battled hard throughout, will now aim to bounce back when they take on B1 third seeds Bosnia and Herzegovina at Larne’s Inver Park on Tuesday (7.00pm start).
The Bosnians defeated Romania, the other team in the group, by four goals to nil.
Poland: Kinga Szemik, Wiktoria Zieniewicz, Oliwia Wos, Paulina Dudek, Martyna Wiankowska, Adriana Achcinska, Tanja Pawollek, Ewelina Kamczyk, Ewa Pajor (captain), Natalia Padilla-Bidas, Nadia Krezyman. Substitutes: (used) Klaudia Jedlinska, Dominika Grabowska,Sylwia Matysik, Weronika Zawistowska, Martyna Brodzik; (unused) Natalia Radkiewicz (GK), Kinga Seweryn (GK), Malgorzata Mesjasz, Jagoda Cyraniak, Klaudia Slowinska, Aleksandra Zaremba, Natalia Wrobel.
Northern Ireland: Jackie Burns, Rebecca McKenna (captain), Lauren Wade, Rebecca Holloway, Laura Rafferty, Rachel Dugdale, Chloe McCarron, Joely Andrews, Simone Magill, Brenna McPartlan, Keri Halliday. Substitutes: (used) Ellie Mason, Caragh Hamilton, Connie Scofield,Kascie Weir, Emily Wilson; (unused) Rachael Norney, Maddy Harvey-Clifford, Megan Bell, Danielle Maxwell, Nadene Caldwell, Louise McDaniel, Natalie Johnson
A proud moment for the EE Player of the Match Rebecca McKenna who captained the side on her 50th cap
