“A FEELING LIKE no other” is how Ireland U19 captain Chloe Mustaki described the experience of beating all three top seeds in the UEFA U19 European Championships.
Having come into the competition as eighth seeds, the ‘History Girls’ as they are now affectionately known, produced three superb performances to take all nine points from a group containing Spain, England and Sweden.
For Mustaki, who plays her club football with Peamount United, the success is down to the strong team spirit.
“It’s really been truly amazing to have beaten the first three seeds in the competition,” the defender said.
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“We came in as underdogs and have now proven to everybody how much of a right we have to win the competition just as much as any other team here.
“It took a huge amount of effort from the whole squad but so far everybody has done their job and we’ve definitely pulled through for one another to get to this point.
“It certainly has been a dream come true to have been able to lead out the team to victory in three massive games against three big nations in women’s football.”
The semi-final against the Netherlands tomorrow (6pm Irish time) offers Mustaki and her team-mates the opportunity to further enhance their status as history-makers and the skipper is ready to put everything on the line in order to make the final.
“The game against the Netherlands will be, without doubt, one of the toughest, if not the toughest, games of our lives.
As our manager Dave Connell says, ‘we will go to war’ and hopefully our biggest efforts will get us through the game.
“They’re (the Netherlands) certainly a great footballing side so we’re going to require a solid game plan going into this semi final.”
Having already played out a 0-0 draw with the Netherlands in the Elite qualifying stage earlier this year, and with Spain or Norway waiting for them in the final, glory is well within Ireland’s grasp.
'We will go to war' - Ireland U19s captain Chloe Mustaki ahead of Euro semi-final
“A FEELING LIKE no other” is how Ireland U19 captain Chloe Mustaki described the experience of beating all three top seeds in the UEFA U19 European Championships.
Having come into the competition as eighth seeds, the ‘History Girls’ as they are now affectionately known, produced three superb performances to take all nine points from a group containing Spain, England and Sweden.
For Mustaki, who plays her club football with Peamount United, the success is down to the strong team spirit.
“It’s really been truly amazing to have beaten the first three seeds in the competition,” the defender said.
“We came in as underdogs and have now proven to everybody how much of a right we have to win the competition just as much as any other team here.
“It took a huge amount of effort from the whole squad but so far everybody has done their job and we’ve definitely pulled through for one another to get to this point.
“It certainly has been a dream come true to have been able to lead out the team to victory in three massive games against three big nations in women’s football.”
Watch the team sing ‘Read All About’ this week:
The semi-final against the Netherlands tomorrow (6pm Irish time) offers Mustaki and her team-mates the opportunity to further enhance their status as history-makers and the skipper is ready to put everything on the line in order to make the final.
“The game against the Netherlands will be, without doubt, one of the toughest, if not the toughest, games of our lives.
“They’re (the Netherlands) certainly a great footballing side so we’re going to require a solid game plan going into this semi final.”
Having already played out a 0-0 draw with the Netherlands in the Elite qualifying stage earlier this year, and with Spain or Norway waiting for them in the final, glory is well within Ireland’s grasp.
Watch the goals which put Ireland’s U19s into the European Championships semi-finals
Three wins from three sends Ireland U19s into first ever Euros semi-final
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Chloe Mustaki coygig Dave Connell Norway Ireland Republic Netherlands UEFA U19 European Championships