Ireland had already made a decent start to their 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifying group with two wins from two before the daunting task of facing European champions Netherlands last night.
Yet Colin Bell's side cast aside any pre-match expectations by holding their Dutch opponents to a goalless draw away from home in Nijmegen to sit level on points at the top with seven points.
It sparked joyous scenes in the Irish dressing room and as the achievement sinks in, head coach Colin Bell, in charge since February, joined us to share his thoughts on what happened.
"The girls played a really magnificent game and yes, we had to defend and defend quite a lot in the 95 minutes that we played. But we also had really four or five great counter-attacks and where we should have maybe scored. So we were also a threat as well," Bell told us, adding that the move to a back five worked for the team.
🎥 When you've claimed an historic point at the home of the European Champions, you've got to celebrate! 😀😀😀
What a fantastic group our #IRLWNT🇮🇪 are! #COYGIG pic.twitter.com/ObNj4wlTDq
— FAIreland âš½ï¸ðŸ‡®ðŸ‡ª (@FAIreland) November 28, 2017
That game was filled with pride, hard work, bodies on the line, belief and defensive determination all over the pitch! Extremely proud of this team and wearing this shirt, so proud 🇮🇪 pic.twitter.com/fs7CB6XrgN
— Louise Quinn (@louise_quinn4) November 28, 2017
On the advantages that the Dutch system would have, he continued: "The majority of them are playing professionally and that makes a massive difference playing against them as I did with my previous clubs. They're all girls that are training six or seven times a week. We have half of our squad that are in this professional environment and the other half are playing home-based."
But he also explained that doing home-based training sessions at Abbotstown for the Irish players based here has been a boost, while he also felt that the performance in the Cyprus Cup when he first took over boded well.
And he feels the technical ability is evident in young players coming through with the challenge of honing that: "That age group, 15-16, they need to be getting at least four football sessions in a week. At the moment, the majority of them are only doing two and that's enough. In Germany, the under-17 elite players are training six times a week."
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