Ireland vs Azerbaijan

Full-time

2009-08-27T06:24:00.001-07:00

Ireland, courtesy of two Eimear Cregan tackles, keep out the last wave of Azeri pressure and win the game 2-1; nervy ending but Ireland hold on and now look in great position to stay in the A division. They need just a point against Russia on Saturday morning to take one of those spots.

They can be denied should they lose and Azerbaijan or Scotland win by a few goals but this is a huge result, make no mistake.

69 minutes

2009-08-27T06:22:00.000-07:00

Ireland hold out a few attacks; good overhead relives somepressure but it comes straight back with interest

68 minutes

2009-08-27T06:21:00.000-07:00

Symmons yellow-carded, may be out of final game as second yellow of tournament. Was for breaking down an Azeri auto-pass.

65 minutes

2009-08-27T06:20:00.001-07:00

Two Azeri penalty corners go a begging, Cleland saving the day

64 minutes

2009-08-27T06:18:00.000-07:00

GOAL - Ireland 2 Azerbaijan 1 - Alex Speers gets the vital touch as Ireland just about complete a four on two. Emma Smyth feeds Alex Speers who plays across to Mega Frazer, her shot is half-blocked by Speers slides in to deflect. Seda Kheyirova gets half a touch but it goes over the line just before landing on Lisa Jacob's foot. Goal stands, though.

60 minutes

2009-08-27T06:13:00.000-07:00

Lots happened since last internet disturbance; unfortunately not good news. GOAL for Azerbaijan in the 50th minute from Zhun Mammadova - great strike into the top right of Mary Goode's goal.

Since then, they've pounded the Irish goal and some calamitous defendings has almost seen the Azeris take the lead.

52 minutes

2009-08-27T05:58:00.001-07:00

Brilliant ball from Michelle Harvey from right back finds Megan Frazer on the circle's edge, she controls but is forced wide by the defender and gives away a free.

49 minutes

2009-08-27T05:58:00.000-07:00

Brilliant ball from Michelle Harvey from right back finds Megan Frazer on the circle's edge, she controls but is forced wide by the defender and gives away a free.

46 minutes

2009-08-27T05:57:00.002-07:00

Symmons' drag easily saved but the rebound falls to Cathy McKean's reverse, she lifts it knee-high across goal buty no one can deflect it in from two in-rushing attackers. Good chance

45 minutes

2009-08-27T05:57:00.001-07:00

Top ball from Symmons finds Speers on the edge of the circle and she finds a foot for Ireland's third corner; most fluid move of the game to date.

44 minutes

2009-08-27T05:55:00.001-07:00

Khatira Aliyeva green carded for breaking down Nikki Symmons' auto-pass

43 minutes

2009-08-27T05:51:00.000-07:00

Flinn's break comes to nothing but another attack sees McKean's close-range scramble deflected into the siedeboard. Smyth drives down the right wing and wins a five-metre free.

40 minutes

2009-08-27T05:49:00.000-07:00

Concerted Az attacking, McCay's diving tackle and Symmons clearance keep them at bay and Roisin Flinn has space to break

37 minutes

2009-08-27T05:48:00.000-07:00

Jacob rolls in a soft-shot but the Azeris keeper decides, in an unorthodox fashion, to stop the ball with her stick rather than her pads, causing a flutter of panic but eventual kly cleare to safety

36 minutes

2009-08-27T05:42:00.000-07:00

The players are back and we're ready for a crucial second half. Continue in this manner and Ireland will top the relegation pool.

Half-time

2009-08-27T05:33:00.000-07:00

Ireland 1 Azerbaijan 0 - strange end to the half; Eimear Cregan has the ball deep in Azerbaijan's 25 but appears content to run down the last 45 seconds of the half, holding on to the ball in the corner rather than going for one last chance.

Ireland have been much the better side. Nikki Symmons is the only player to take a shot - three in total - with her second drag-flick the difference between the sides. Her cracking aerial was the only opening from play but the Irish are in good position here with 35 minutes to go.

32 minutes

2009-08-27T05:31:00.000-07:00

Azerbaijan working their way back into the game; no chances as yet but more territory and pressing well to isolate the Irish defenders. Rain has started to come down

28 minutes

2009-08-27T05:27:00.000-07:00

Slight internet breakdown, still 1-0... Symmons aerials powerfully into the side-netting; Ireland fully in the ascendancy and look very dangerous.

Azerbaijan with only three outfielders on the bench due to Mi Kyung Aliyeva's suspension for an off-the-ball incident in a group game.

25 minutes

2009-08-27T05:24:00.000-07:00

For the second time, the stadium announcer awards the goal to another country. Following Sargent's goal on Tuesday being credited to Scotland, Symmons' strike is attributed to England...he quickly corrects himself.

24 minutes

2009-08-27T05:23:00.002-07:00

GOAL - Nikki Symmons drags low to the bottom corner , nut-megging the Hee-Zhung Abbasova on the goal-line. Ireland 1 Azerbaijan o

24 minutes

2009-08-27T05:23:00.001-07:00

Lisa jacob win's ireland's second corner

24 minutes

2009-08-27T05:20:00.000-07:00

Fascinating stuff in the Dutch newspaper"Het Volksraant" - Holland's equivalent of the Irish Times. They interviewed Franklin Diekmoet - the Azeri assistant coach - who explained each team talk are conducted in three languages due to players coming from Korean, Belarussian, Ukranian, Uzbek and Kazakh backgrounds.

18 minutes

2009-08-27T05:17:00.000-07:00

Loreto, Foxrock contingent in good voice; slightly overcast day but not too warm so should be perfect conditions for the Irish. Scotland drew 1-1 with Russia so a win for Ireland would leave them in pole-position in the group.

Still just the Symmons' shot by way of goalmouth action. All the play between the 25s.

17 minutes

2009-08-27T05:16:00.000-07:00

Ireland 0 Azerbaijan 0 - cagey start; Shirley McCay won a 12th minute penalty corner but Nikki Symmons drag-flick shaved the cross-bar and over.

0 mins

2009-08-27T05:14:00.000-07:00

The teams for today's crucial relegation pool:

Ireland: M Goode, R Flinn, E Cregan (capt), E Clarke, E Stewart, B Cleland, S McCay, N Symmons, E Smyth, L Jacob, M Harvey
Subs: C Sargent, C McKean, A Speers, L Colvin, M Frazer

Azerbaijan: S Kheyirova, F Makayeva, L Chegurko, D Mirzaliyeva, K Aliyeva, M Aliyeva, L Druzhinnia, S-Y Rustamova, B-K Alizada, I Jafarova, Z Mammadova
Subs: E Muzaffarova, V Shahbazova, H-Z Abbasova, M Ahmadova