“ We must worry about ourselves and not allow surprises”

O women football selector today warned of the importance of Portugal entering concentrated before Northern Ireland, which will “seek something different” in the second hand of the first clearance play-off for the World Cup2027.

In the preview of the match, which will be played from 19:15 at the Portimão Municipal Stadium, Francisco Neto stressed the need for the selection not only to manage the victory loosed in the first hand, by 4-0, in Northern Ireland, last Friday.

“ A mature team is one that, regardless of the outcome, always wants more in the following and be better. Despite the very good things – and it was possibly the most competent games we had – tomorrow [Tuesday] we have to repeat”, he said.

For Francisco Neto, Northern Ireland may opt, in the game in Portimão, for “two paths”.

“ Or they will go on the way to diversify some tactical approaches that made us or look a little further into the future, because they have some new players in the internship, and prepare them forward,” he said.

The conviction of the technician is that, “at least at an early stage”, the opponent will “seek to understand what the game” will give, pressing “higher” and being “more aggressive”.

“ Once again, we must worry about ourselves and not allow such situations. Playing with the same level of rigor and dynamics of the last game, we will certainly reduce these hypotheses to Northern Ireland. Not fulfilling, things will become more difficult ", perspetuated.

Asked if, due to the first-hand advantage, he will take advantage to debut new players in the selection, Francisco Neto replied that substitutions will be done “in function” than the game “dict”.

“You will have your story. It is up to us to prepare as many players as possible to play ", added.

Tatiana Pinto also made the preview at the start of the second hand, assuming that the result in Larne was “many expressive”.

“We all know that football has this unpredictability and it is good to be alert. Tomorrow, Ireland will somehow want to impose its game and draw something here in Portimão”, said the Portuguese average who plays in Italian Juventus.

If you surpass Northern Ireland, Portugal will face the winner of the fight between Croatia and Iceland, in the final round, on November 26th and December 5th.

The World Cup2027 will be held in Brazil between June 24th and July 25th of next year.

Portugal, which was present in the last three Europeans, in 2017, 2022 and 2025, seeks to repeat the unprecedented presence in World Championships, after the debut in 2023, which ended in the group stage, but with a victory against Vietnam and a draw before the United States, which followed the defeat with the Netherlands.