Northern Ireland's senior women's football squad is poised on the cusp of an electric adventure, as they prepare to face off against some of Europe's toughest teams in the Women's World Cup play-off draw. Michael McArdle's team has punched above their weight, finishing third in Group B2 with two wins against Malta, and now they're one step away from discovering their first-round opponent.
The road ahead promises to be a real David-and-Goliath showdown. As an unseeded team, Northern Ireland will face off against higher-ranked teams in both the semi-finals and potential final – and even if they triumph over Europe's best, they'll likely have to battle it out again for a spot at the World Cup.
Awaiting them are Slovenia (38th), Poland (29th), Serbia (35th), and Ukraine (34th) – all teams that finished fourth in their respective League A groups, relegated to the play-offs. And let's not forget Slovenia's impressive Nations League display: they pummelled Austria 1-0 and left the Republic of Ireland battered and bruised by a 4-0 thumping.
Poland, though, poses a particularly tricky test – having already taken on Northern Ireland last year in the Nations League. Tanya Oxtoby's team fell to a 2-0 defeat in Gdansk and a 4-0 loss at Seaview, with Ewa Pajor of Barcelona leading the charge (71 goals in 110 appearances for her country is no mean feat!). Serbia and Ukraine also look to be on their uppers after finishing bottom of League A.
Yet Northern Ireland has always thrived underdog-style. Their Euro 2022 play-off campaign was a masterclass in spirit and determination – something that McArdle's young team can draw inspiration from as they embark on this thrilling World Cup qualification journey.
Source: BBC Sport NI