Overview
- Katie McCabe marked her 99th cap with two goals and an assist, with UEFA later confirming she was officially credited with two after initial hat-trick reports.
- Marissa Sheva rifled a fourth into the roof of the net after a corner, capping a 12-minute surge that put Ireland 4-1 up.
- Tessa Wullaert and Marie Detruyer scored for Belgium, with two away goals keeping the tie competitive heading into the second leg.
- Reports described Ireland’s display as the best of Carla Ward’s tenure, built on a compact 3-5-2 and strong set-piece pressure.
- A first-half penalty converted by McCabe drew debate with no VAR in use, while Grace Moloney deputised for injured goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan and Jamie Finn returned late from an ACL layoff.