Women's Nations League match suspended after downpour leads to farcical scenes

31 October 2023 , 19:23

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Katie McCabe wipes rain water from her face (Image: ©INPHO/Nikola Krstic)

Ireland's UEFA Nations League tie with Albania was suspended for over an hour due to torrential rain in Shkoder.

The first half was played out in appalling conditions at the Loro Borici Stadium, with the tie reaching half-time at 0-0 despite a heavily waterlogged pitch. But with the rain continuing to fall throughout, the surface became completely unplayable.

Referee Jelena Pejkovic then delayed the start to the second half with both teams remaining in the changing room for an hour. The amount of surface water on the pitch meant the game already looked in major jeopardy, but the added delay created a farcical situation, with both teams failing to re-emerge for the second half as scheduled.

Ireland, who included Arsenal star Katie McCabe in their team, were looking to maintain their unbeaten record in League B Group 1. But their tie in Albania was compromised by the appalling conditions with neither side able to play the ball with any sense of purpose on the waterlogged surface.

A defensive lapse, caused entirely by the state of the pitch, almost allowed Albania to score not long before the break as the conditions made the contest farcical. Large puddles of standing water made the pitch unplayable, but the two teams battled on until half time.

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When Pejkovic delayed the restart both teams stayed in the changing room, amidst the monsoon like conditions. The FAI took to social media to provide an official update with the match failing to restart on time, with the suspension running to over an hour.

Albania’s Megi Doci with Denise O’Sullivan of Ireland (©INPHO/Nikola Krstic)

Efforts were made to clear the pitch at half-time and the match did get underway at around 7:20pm despite light rain continuing. Ireland dominated for large parts after the restart but couldn't find a way past their plucky opponents.

That was until two minutes from time though as Denise O'Sullivan struck just two minutes from time to claim a fourth victory on the spin.

Jack Lacey-Hatton