Goals in each half from Emily Fox and Lindsey Horan saw the Republic of Ireland WNT lose their opening friendly on their trip to the United States, going down 2-0 to the current World Champions.

For a large part of the game Ireland were in the tie and may be a little annoyed not to have scored at the end of the opening half as Heather Payne’s cross looked to have gone straight in without Kyra Carusa getting a touch as she was guilty of being offside.

Never did the occasion look to rattle the Irish as they looked in place to square off against one of the giants, a performance that will do them a world of good ahead of the last friendly and of course heading to Australia.

The result ends a record unbeaten run of nine games for the Irish, having also conceded their first goals in eight games, but the result is a positive one despite the defeat.

For the USA, they looked the part, dangerous as ever but at times frustrated, Fox's goal gave them the lead but could have been defended and a penalty from Lindsey Horan was the deciding factor in the final ten minutes.

It was a great start from Ireland, Sinead Farrelly looked a real natural from the off in the midfield, an early chance came in the fourth minute, Katie McCabe sent a deep corner and was met by Louise Quinn at the back post but her header was well over.

The USA came back into the game and after nine minutes had their first chance, Sophia Smith was inches away from making it 1-0, but she just missed the ball and the danger ended. Two minutes later Rose Lavell crossed a free-kick into the area from the left flank, Lindsey Horan was the target but she sent her effort wide as Louise Quinn and Diane Caldwell both put her under some pressure.

Some swift passes from the hosts were causing the Irish side a bit of a headache, they had been quite good shape wise early on but the passes were now putting some cracks in the foundation, but any danger was managed by the back line and Courtney Brosnan in net.

With 20 minutes elapsed Ireland had their first real chance, a moment that easily could have seen them go 1-0 ahead, again it was Quinn rising to meet a McCabe corner at the back stick, but Alex Morgan was on the line to hoof away the ball before it found a way over the goal line.

Four minutes later and again ireland were knocking on the door, Heather Payne raced down the right wing, before a low cross into the area caused turmoil, it got a flick at goal which USA goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher clawed away, on the follow up Denise O'Sullivan, Kyra Carusa and McCabe all had shots blocked by American defenders, an absolute goalmouth scramble to put it lightly.

Farrelly really was looking the part in the Irish midfield, certainly playing against her nation was looking a key asset but despite her passes Ireland again just could not break down the hosts, at the other end Quinn needed to be at her best to deny Sophia Smith.

Back came the American side on the press, Lavelle burned Farrelly with some silky skill moves on the left wing coming into the Irish box, she passed out to Smith but her effort at goal was into the hands of Brosnan.

In the 37th minute the hosts took the lead, Emily Fox with her first ever international goal, she was allowed too much space and from just over 25 yards out struck a low effort that deceived Brosnan and into the back of the net.

A long stoppage of play saw the game halted as Mallory Swanson was in the wars again, she had previously been down following a collision with Brosnan, where it appeared she had damaged her neck, but with 40 minutes gone she was down in agony with what looked like a twisted knee and needed to be stretchered off.

Plenty of time left in the opening half as a result of the stoppage, time for one last Ireland chance before the break as Payne again bore down the right wing, another terrific cross was aimed at Carusa and the ball found the way to goal, the assistants’s flag was raised however, on further inspection it looked like Carusa never touched the ball into the area, however it never stood and the teams went into the interval with Ireland behind.

Into the second half and it was all the hosts, O’Sullivan did have a half chance with a volley but that was blocked down, down the other end America were looking as much of a threat as usual, Aoife Mannion needed to slide in to deny Trinity Rodman sending a dangerous ball into the area.

Rodman was looking a real danger in those early minutes of the second half, she headed a Crystal Dunn cross just wide, before skipping past Caldwell and with the goal,at her mercy she skied the chance, then moments later she again headed for goal but Brosnan was able to save.

Plenty of backs to the walls from the Girls In Green, Lavelle coming close again to adding a second for the home side, but the outstretched fingertips of Brosnan steered the ball out beyond the post and Ireland again breathed a sigh of relief. 

As we headed for the final ten minutes, the home side put the game to bed, Lindsey Horan was dragged down inside the areas by Diane Caldwell, a tug of the jersey and the referee pointed to the spot, Horan stepped up and struck the penalty past Brosnan, despite the keeper getting a strong hand to see the spot kick cannon off her glove and onto the underside of the crossbar.

Brosnan was the busier of the two keepers and again needed to get down to save from Fox, a game where Ireland looked strong and two errors cost them, you would take that against a side like the USA, plenty to build on from this game.