Northern Ireland lose 4-0 to Portugal in Women's World Cup play-off first leg

Northern Ireland's women's national football team were beaten 4-0 by Portugal at Inver Park in the first leg of a European play-off semi-final, with a place at the 2027 Women's World Cup at stake for the eventual winner. The return leg takes place on Tuesday in Portimao, Portugal, where the hosts of the first leg must overturn a four-goal deficit.

Manager Michael McArdle, a Scot who took charge in March, said the tie had gone "from improbable to impossible". He felt the scoreline was harder on his side than the game itself deserved, but pointed to positives that the team can build on over the longer term.

How the match unfolded

Portugal led 3-0 at half-time. Telma Encarnacao scored from a penalty, Jessica Silva added a second, and Rebecca Holloway put the ball into her own net for the third. In the second half, Portugal's Catarina Amado was sent off for a second yellow card with 26 minutes left, which gave Northern Ireland some momentum. Fatima Pinto then scored a fourth. In added time Northern Ireland's Cora Chambers was also dismissed for pulling the hair of Carolina Correia, and she will miss the second leg.

New faces in the squad

Northern Ireland were without several experienced players, including captain Simone Magill, Laura Rafferty and Nadene Caldwell. McArdle gave a debut to defender Jane McMaster and first caps to Kess Elmore and Charlotte Havern, who came off the bench. Havern, a 16-year-old from Cliftonville, was introduced with 10 minutes remaining.

McArdle described giving young players this exposure as a risk, but said it would help the team qualify for tournaments in the long run.

What comes next

The play-off final is most likely to be against Iceland, who also won their first leg 4-0, away in Croatia.