Ireland 0 Japan 0 (Ireland win 3-1 on penalties)Ireland booked their place at the 2026 FIH World Cup after a nerve‑shredding penalty shootout win over Japan, edging the qualifier 3-1 after a scoreless 70 minutes at the Estadio Nacional. Moments later, Christina Hamill’s sharp movement won a second penalty corner, but Upton’s effort was blocked. Japan earned a penalty corner of their own, but Ireland’s defensive unit stood firm to keep the scores level. Japan saw a penalty corner scrambled away before breaking at speed moments later to win another. With just over two minutes to play, McLoughlin forced a penalty corner after slipping a clever ball into the circle.

Source: Irish Independent March 09, 2026 09:28 UTC