Page 3 - Women's Soccer Scene Issue No.12 2020/21

Northern Ireland’s UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 play-off matches are to be broadcast by BBC
Sport NI.
BBC NI will broadcast both games of Northern Ireland’s play-off against Ukraine
as Kenny Shiels’ side aim to make history and qualify for a major tournament for the first
time.
The first game, at Kolos Stadium, Kovalivka, kicks off at 5pm on Friday 9th April
and will be shown live on BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport NI website and via the Red Button.
Four days later, on Tuesday 13th April, Northern Ireland will face Ukraine again in
the return leg at Seaview, Belfast. Coverage starts at 7.30pm with the match live on BBC Two
NI, BBC iPlayer and via the Red Button.
It will be the first time that a Northern Ireland women’s football international has
been shown live on BBC NI television. Previous matches have been broadcast via the Red
Button, including the qualifiers against Belarus and the Faroe Islands which saw Northern
Ireland book their place in the play-offs.
Thomas Kane and former Northern Ireland international, Gail Redmond, will
commentate on both matches. Stephen Watson will present the live TV game from Seaview
with ex-Northern Ireland defender, Stephen Craigan, with former Scotland international
manager Shelley Kerr providing analysis.
BBC Sport NI presenter, Nicola McCarthy, who also represented Northern Ireland
at football, will report on the second leg of the play-off from pitchside.
Northern Ireland finished as runners-up in Qualifying Group C behind Norway to
reach a play-off for a major tournament for the first time in their history. They pipped Wales
into second place on head to head results in their two meetings.
The winner of the play-off will secure a place at the UEFA Euro 2022 Finals, to be
held in England.
There are three play-offs in total, to fill the last three remaining places in next
year’s finals. Czech Republic will host Switzerland and Portugal are at home to Russia in
their respective first legs, both of which will also be played on Friday and Tuesday.
Manager Kenny Shiels has revealed there is a real hunger to succeed within his
squad ahead of the play-off matches against Ukraine. Shiels says his players want to be
competing at the Women’s Euros in England next summer and promised he will do all he
can to ensure they are ready for the two play-off games.
It’s the first time the Northern Ireland senior women’s team have reached the
play-offs for a major tournament and the manager believes his players are “up for the fight”.
Although he has named a squad packed with experienced international players, the
manager is concerned that several members have not played a competitive match since
Northern Ireland secured a play-off berth with a win against Faroe Islands at the start of
December.
Northern Ireland-based players, who make up the bulk of his panel, have been
training together three times a week in recent months, however Shiels has been unable to
organise practice matches for them due to Covid restrictions.
He is also concerned at the “array of talent” not in the squad either through injury
or being unavailable due to work commitments. They include Lauren Wade, Demi Vance,
Megan Bell, Caragh Milligan, Abbie Magee and Caitlin McGuinness.
However, Shiels insists the players at his disposal want to reach the Women’s
Euros and he promised: “Myself and my backroom team will make sure they are ready and
prepared to win games.
“The players are enthusiastic and they have the belief and the ability to succeed.
They will be ready to give everything they have.”
Issue no. 12 - 8 April 2021 news@womenssoccerscene.co.uk