Ireland Player Ratings As McCabe Inspires First Leg Rout v Belgium

Ireland 4-2 Belgium

Eoin Harrington reporting from the Aviva Stadium

Ireland took a massive win in the first leg of their UEFA Nations League promotion playoff against Belgium on Friday night, with goals from Katie McCabe and Marissa Sheva seeing them triumph 4-2 in Dublin.

After McCabe had given Ireland a half-time lead from the spot, Tessa Wullaert would equalise with a cheeky lob after the Ireland defence were caught napping. Moments later, McCabe’s shot was deflected in via goalkeeper Evrard, and McCabe and Sheva would add two more for Ireland shortly thereafter.

Belgium would add a second late on via Marie Detruyer, but Ireland held on for an assured victory.

Belgium sit seven places above Ireland in the world rankings and impressed at the Euros, but it was the Girls in Green who took a front-footed approach on a night that left us with a lot of hope for the future of Carla Ward’s team.

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Whether McCabe will receive credit for the second goal remains to be seen, but we’re giving her her hat-trick until UEFA say otherwise. She was the clear standout on a night when several Irish players put in impressive performances.

Here’s how we rated the Ireland team against Belgium, on a night when their hopes of reaching another major tournament received a massive boost.

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Ireland v Belgium: Player ratings from massive playoff win
Formation: 5-3-2

Grace Moloney – 5.5

Didn’t have too much to do in the first half, but was calm any time she needed to venture out of her box.

Caught in two minds as Wullaert chipped her well off her line for Belgium’s equaliser.

Republic of Ireland 1-1 Belgium
The visitors are level out of nothing as Tessa Wullaert dinks the ball over Grace Moloney after being played onside
📺 Live coverage on @rte2 and @RTEplayer

📱Updates https://t.co/BTJ0s9rh7W pic.twitter.com/eJUAAb4Nsq

— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) October 24, 2025

 

Aoife Mannion – 7

Ventured forward more as the first half wore on and had some nice moments on the edge of the Belgium box.

Drove Ireland forward down the right flank.

 

Jessie Stapleton – 7

Read the game well in the first half, stepping up strongly to prevent a few Belgian counter-attacks. Her shot, blocked by the hand of Toloba, led to the penalty that brought Ireland’s first goal.

Caught a little bit for the Belgium goal.

 

Caitlin Hayes – 6.5

Generally solid but a little wasteful with the ball on occasion. Caught out deep, keeping Wullaert onside, for the Belgium equaliser.

Nonetheless, commanding in each box, and a threat from Ireland set pieces. She was strong when Belgium took control late in the game.

 

Chloe Mustaki – 6

Had a few nervy moments in the early moments of her first competitive start in several years. Settled as the game progressed, and freed up McCabe to venture forward.

Struggled to close down Wullaert for Belgium’s goal, though a foul would have meant red.

 

Katie McCabe – 9

24 October 2025; Katie McCabe of Republic of Ireland celebrates after scoring her side’s first goal, from a penalty, during the UEFA Women’s Nations League A/B promotion/relegation play-off first leg match between Republic of Ireland and Belgium at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Had a very high starting point for Ireland attacks and dictated the play well down the left flank.

A very bright attacking presence, she deserved all the goals that came her way.

Republic of Ireland 1-0 Belgium

Katie McCabe puts Ireland in front from the penalty spot after the referee – slightly contentiously – penalises Toloba for a handball

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📱Updates https://t.co/BTJ0s9rh7W pic.twitter.com/4m5Kh3JPBu

— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) October 24, 2025

The second Ireland goal will likely go down as an o.g., but for now UEFA still credit to McCabe, whose whipped delivery was inches from finding the net even without the assistance of the Belgium ‘keeper.

KATIE MCCABE FROM DOWNTOWN pic.twitter.com/zegBQMyOc1

— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) October 24, 2025

This was a captain’s performance from Katie on her 99th appearance for Ireland, whose strike for Ireland’s third was delightfully clean.

Katie McCabe hat-trick. 🥰

Maris Sheva added a fourth minutes.

We’re dropping the hammer on Belgiumpic.twitter.com/8JjWFavHZy

— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) October 24, 2025

 

Ruesha Littlejohn – 6.5

Controlled the pace well from the base of midfield, though perhaps lacked a little bit of creativity and imagination on the ball.

Withdrawn just before the hour.

 

Denise O’Sullivan – 7.5

24 October 2025; Laura Deloose of Belgium in action against Denise O’Sullivan of Republic of Ireland during the UEFA Women’s Nations League A/B promotion/relegation play-off first leg match between Republic of Ireland and Belgium at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile

O’Sullivan was fired up, pressing energetically from the off. She was, as always, the bright spark in Ireland’s attack, threading some delightful forward balls from tight spaces in the first half.

 

Marissa Sheva – 8

Her creativity complemented O’Sullivan’s well, and she delivered a number of bright moments in the first period.

Sheva’s influence in open play dimmed a touch in the second half, but her finish for Ireland’s fourth was absolutely superb. Probably the pick of the four goals on the night.

Queen of Sheva. 👸

Ireland 4-1 Belgium pic.twitter.com/p4cBqoXgeT

— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) October 24, 2025

 

Emily Murphy – 7

Very energetic chasing down balls, and linked up well with McCabe and Carusa. Struggled to find too much time on the ball in space.

Showed composure to delay the cross for the third goal.

Never stopped running for 90 minutes – except for impressively running down the clock in the corner in injury-time.

 

Kyra Carusa – 7.5

24 October 2025; Kyra Carusa of Republic of Ireland in action against Amber Tysiak of Belgium during the UEFA Women’s Nations League A/B promotion/relegation play-off first leg match between Republic of Ireland and Belgium at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

A really strong performance from Carusa, who battled hard from the front to deliver possession (and free kicks) for Ireland throughout the first period.

 

Substitutes

Tyler Toland (for Ruesha Littlejohn, 60′) – 6

Calm in possession.

 

Saoirse Noonan (for Kyra Carusa, 75′) – 5

Had little opportunity to impact proceedings as Belgium took control late on.

 

Jamie Finn (for Denise O’Sullivan, 75′) – 5

It was wonderful to see Finn back in an Ireland jersey for the first time in almost two years after a brutal ACL-induced layoff.

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