Rebecca Holloway is confident Northern Ireland Women will bounce back when they face Czechia Women tomorrow (18 July).
Although the senior women’s team lost 3-0 to Scotland on Friday in the first of two away international friendlies this month, the defender believes there were lots of positives in that game to carry forward to the encounter with the Czechs in Opava.
Holloway, who plays her club football in the US with National Women’s Soccer League side Racing Louisville, said: “I think the most positive thing that we took (against Scotland), especially into the second half, was that we just needed that confidence to play.
“It was like we allowed three goals to go in before we started to play, and I think that was a big lesson for us.”
She said it was important to take the confidence shown by the team in the second half of the match in Dundee into the game against the Czechs.
“I think we just need to be confident on the ball. We know we are good enough to play, so we just need to do it,” the defender added.
She believes the Czechs will be keen to pile forward during tomorrow’s game and it will be important for Northern Ireland to be ready to launch counter attacks.
Holloway also praised the younger members of the squad for their ability to adapt to their surroundings and the confidence they show in training.
She said they are all good enough to play in the team, adding the fact they are learning from the older members of the panel is something the more established players can take pride in.
“I think it’s really good that we know we have a bright future ahead of us,” she added.
Tomorrow’s challenge match between the Northern Ireland senior women’s team and Czechia Women is being staged at Stadion v Mestskych sadech (Stadium Municipal Gardens) in Opava, with a 19:30 CET kick-off.
The challenge match is a warm-up game for both countries ahead of the inaugural UEFA Women’s Nations League this autumn.
