Shanade Hopcroft made an immediate impact on her Republic of Ireland debut, scoring during an emphatic 8-0 World Cup qualifying play-off victory over Kazakhstan.
The Crystal Palace midfielder entered the match as a 70th-minute substitute alongside fellow Eagle Hayley Nolan. Hopcroft needed only three minutes to open her international account, sweeping Abbie Larkin’s cross into the top corner.
Larkin also found the net after leading Ireland’s attack for the full match, while providing two assists. The result gave Ireland a sizeable advantage ahead of the second leg against Kazakhstan, with the return fixture scheduled to take place in Ireland.
Nine Palace Women players are representing their countries during the October international break. The Eagles have won three, drawn three and lost one of their first seven matches in all competitions this season, leaving them eighth in the Barclays Women’s Super League and third in the Subway Players Cup League Phase.
