Sweden boss Gerhardsson talks up ‘angry’ McCabe

Sweden boss Peter Gerhardsson says “angry” Katie McCabe is one of his favourite players in the world as he looks to take down the Republic of Ireland at the Aviva Stadium tomorrow night.

McCabe has spent the week trying to overcome jet lag after playing an end-of-season friendly for Arsenal against an A-League All Stars selection in Melbourne.

The captain will be crucial to the Girls in Green’s hopes of pulling off a shock Euro 2025 qualifier result against the world No 6-ranked Swedes, with Gerhardsson fully aware of her capabilities.

“I would say that McCabe is one of my favourite players because she is typical for the way to play,” he said.

“She’s one of the best players in Arsenal and she plays with passion, she plays with strength, she plays with good technique. What I like also is she is a little bit a winner. You can say angry, but I like it… we have to handle that.”

Gerhardsson is very familiar with this Irish team having faced them during qualification for the last World Cup. Then helmed by Vera Pauw, Ireland snatched a gutsy 1-1 draw in Gothenburg, frustrating the star-studded Swedes for most of the contest.

However it will not have escaped Gerhardsson’s attention that Ireland coughed up early goals against France and England in their first two qualifiers; nor the fact that Eileen Gleeson’s team are better equipped to defend a lead than chase goals.

Expect the visitors to start quickly at Lansdowne Road in search of a breakthrough that would leave the hosts with a massive hill to climb.

“It’s always that when you score a goal in a game it changes what you can do,” added Gerhardsson when reflecting on that clash in Gothenburg.

“I remember when they scored they had a low defence and we had some problems then. We’d some good substitutes that came in and we got a good equaliser that made us (qualify) for the World Cup.

“As it was when we played here (in Tallaght) it’s a physical game and it’s going to be tomorrow also I think. With setpieces and things like that, transitions, that’s going to be important. I think we both want to win the game to get a little bit closer to England and France. It’s an interesting game.”

Sweden skipper Kosovare Asllani scored the equaliser when the teams last met in 2022.

The AC Milan star is braced for another tough battle, and is not expecting a hugely different approach from Ireland.

“I think the game is going to look pretty much similar in the way both of the teams are playing,” she said.

“We know when we play Ireland, it is always a physical game, I think it is going to be a physical battle, for sure. That is what we are expecting.

“Ireland are a team that like to play aggressive in their defensive line, they like to defend low, but at the same time, they also like to counter-attack and use their speed in that part, so that is something we have to look out for. But the most important, and the number one thing, is a physical battle.

“It is about keeping calm, playing our game and be physical. And we are playing in a beautiful stadium, I really like the pitch, so we’re looking forward to tomorrow’s game.”

Watch Republic of Ireland v Sweden in Euro 2025 qualifying on Friday from 7pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to commentary on an extended Game On with 2fm