Hoping Ireland’s Katie McCabe is gentle with Arsenal’s new striker at Women’s World Cup today by Michelle
Arsenal winger Katie McCabe will captain Ireland today, against Canada, who count Arsenal’s new striker, Cloe Lacasse, and goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo, within their ranks.
- Canada v Republic of Ireland Wed 26th July 13:00 ITV
Co-hosts Australia top Group A after beating Ireland 1-0 in the opening game of the tournament, which placed Ireland at the bottom of the table on zero points, after Canada drew with Nigeria and they took one point each. This is Group B’s 2nd game of 3 and, with only one point separating Katie’s Ireland from both Nigeria and Canada, there is still very much everything to play for, for both teams.
McCabe was the most booked player in the Women’s Super League last season, with an equal-top seven yellow cards, and even has a Twitter account dedicated to her called “Did Katie McCabe get a yellow card today?”
FoxSports reported that “Irish captain and enforcer Katie McCabe has become Australian public enemy number one after clattering into a number of Matildas players during Ireland’s 1-0 loss to Australia in their World Cup opener at Stadium Australia.”
McCabe & Hayley Raso, a rising star with the Matildas, exchanged strong tackles throughout the match. Former England and Manchester City goalkeeper Karen Bardsley called it “petulant”.
“There‘s an element of petulance here from Katie McCabe,” Bardsley said on the BBC.
“These challenges from her have just started to add up now.
“It is the referee‘s responsibility to manage those situations, because if you don’t nip it in the bud then it will just keep escalating.
“We certainly don‘t want to see anyone either stretchered off or sent off.”
McCabe still has many fans of course, with English presenter Laura Woods loving it.
“At one point she‘d gone down, she had her fingers strapped up, nothing is going to stop her, is it?” former talkSPORT Breakfast host Woods told ITV at half time.
“I‘m looking forward to seeing what happens in the second half between these two, as long as none of them get damaged!”
Australian football writer Joey Lynch called it a “titanic” battle between the pair, and there were a lot of memes on social media!
Katie McCabe’s “barbaric” performance vs Australia that the media can’t stop talking about. (Including every single physical altercation/challenge she’s involved in, in this game) pic.twitter.com/nTpGBU7P2G https://t.co/X15O3CmTqu
— Laura Veen Comps Specialist (@veencomps) July 22, 2023
Katie herself has said in the past:
“I‘d like it [football] to be more physical, to be honest,”
“So like, less yellow cards – [even] no yellow cards. Sometimes I think the physical aspect, that‘s what it’s there for. It’s a physical game.
“Referees can be kind of soft sometimes and not let the game go. Just let it flow – it‘s good, it’s professional, so I’d like to see the game have a bit more flow to it.”
Let’s just hope that Katie isn’t battling too hard with her new Arsenal teammate Cloe Lacasse today! Katie can obviously do no wrong in our eyes. Against the Matilda’s she was fouled 4 times and committed one. Passionate yes – reckless no.. your thoughts?
What’s your prediction for the Canada v Ireland match on Wednesday Gooners?
COYGW!
Michelle Maxwell
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