Soccer

GAWA can lift Northern Ireland against England insists Rebecca McKenna

Press Eye - Belfast, Northern Ireland - 12th July 2022 - Photo by William Cherry/Presseye Northern Ireland’s Rebecca McKenna and Joely Andrews pictured during Tuesday’s press conference at their training Complex in Southampton, ahead of Friday’s UEFA Women’s Euros Finals match against England at St Marys Stadium. Photo by William Cherry/Presseye
Press Eye - Belfast, Northern Ireland - 12th July 2022 - Photo by William Cherry/Presseye Northern Ireland’s Rebecca McKenna and Joely Andrews pictured during Tuesday’s press conference at their training Complex in Southampton, ahead of Frida Press Eye - Belfast, Northern Ireland - 12th July 2022 - Photo by William Cherry/Presseye Northern Ireland’s Rebecca McKenna and Joely Andrews pictured during Tuesday’s press conference at their training Complex in Southampton, ahead of Friday’s UEFA Women’s Euros Finals match against England at St Marys Stadium. Photo by William Cherry/Presseye

ALTHOUGH St Mary's might feel like a home field for Northern Ireland now, any advantage will be overturned by the size of the support for England in the full house there this Friday night.

However, NI defender Rebecca McKenna insists that the Green and White Army can still out-sing the Lionesses' followers in the final round of Group A in Southampton:

"There might be more English fans, but our fans are incredible. We have heard them every minute since we have been at this tournament. The fan zones and everything have been incredible.

"At each game we have heard them from minute one to the final whistle. Our fans are a different class and it almost gives us a 12th player on the pitch. They will really help us on Friday."

The attendance will be the largest over in a match involving NI Women, exceeding the totals from those World Cup qualifiers against the English at Wembley and Windsor Park - but McKenna, who plays her club football with Lewes in the English second tier, insists she and her colleagues won't be overawed:

"We know it'll be a big crowd but we'll come together as a group. This is a special group and we'll go out there and give everything from the first minute to the last. Anything is possible, so we're just really looking forward to it."

It's almost certain though that England will win, having triumphed 4-0 and 5-0 in those recent meetings, and beaten Austria 1-0 before thrashing Norway 8-0.

In contrast, Kenny Shiels's side lost 4-1 to Norway before succumbing 2-0 to Austria. The 21-year-old McKenna says they will study past meeting in an attempt to produce a better outcome:

"We were disappointed to concede two goals, but the team gave everything against Austria. We have to look back at where we went wrong and the two goals we conceded. We will take the positives from that game, look at it, see what we can do better, and bring that into Friday's game."

"We will have to look at the last game and see where we can exploit England. Kenny will pick what he thinks will be best for England and the best team that will help us exploit them."