Republic of Ireland Prepares for Decisive Euro 2025 Play-off Second Leg Against Wales

Katie McCabe and her Republic of Ireland squad will contest the second leg of their play-off against Wales, with the teams tied following a 1-1 draw in Cardiff on Friday. The Euro 2025 play-off final, second leg, featuring the Republic of Ireland versus Wales, is scheduled for Tuesday, 3 December, at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, with kick-off at 19:30 GMT. Live coverage will be available on BBC One Wales, iPlayer, BBC Radio Wales and Radio Cymru, the BBC Sport website and app, and via live text commentary. Highlights will be shown on S4C at 22:00 GMT and subsequently available on demand. Having participated in their inaugural World Cup last year, the Republic of Ireland team now stands on the verge of achieving further historical success by seeking qualification for their first European Championship. The team will play Wales in Dublin on Tuesday in a decisive second leg, following the 1-1 stalemate between the two nations in Cardiff on Friday. The initial match was a cautious encounter, marked by a derby atmosphere, as both teams recognized the high stakes involved in securing a spot at next summer’s finals in Switzerland. Captain Katie McCabe expressed her hope that the Republic of Ireland’s prior experience in play-off scenarios, combined with playing on home turf, will be instrumental in overcoming the Welsh side. The team previously missed out on Euro 2022 after a defeat to Ukraine, but subsequently secured their place at the World Cup in Australia the following year with a notable victory against Scotland. Currently, McCabe, who plays for Arsenal, is prepared to lead her team forward. “For us as a team and a nation, we have wanted to be in this position more regularly. This is our third play-off scenario,” she said. She continued, “Years ago we used to speak about how we wanted to get there, but we’re here now.” “We need to embrace that pressure and enjoy the challenge. I always say that pressure is a privilege.” Despite McCabe’s extensive experience at the highest level, she acknowledged that it is acceptable for her team “to have a few nerves.” She further mentioned that the squad’s more seasoned players would provide support for the less experienced members of Eileen Gleeson’s team, if needed. “For people who haven’t been in this position, as experienced players and leaders within the group we can share that knowledge. We can show that vulnerability to younger players for them to know that it’s OK to have a few nerves when you are playing in front of 25,000 in Dublin.” “For us, we are aware of the magnitude of the game but we will focus on what we can control, which is our game plan, work ethic and how we execute that.” McCabe also stated that competing before an enthusiastic crowd at Aviva Stadium in a winner-takes-all fixture would be “unbelievable.” “We’ll be taking it in our stride. Each and every single one of us staff and players will be enjoying it.” “We know what we have to do. We know what is on the line and what is at stake. We’ll be ready to leave it all out there.”