Republic of Ireland Women Routed Azerbaijan 16-0
The Republic of Ireland team dominated the opening UEFA U17 European Qualifier match in Albania.
Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in Soccer
The Republic of Ireland women's under-17 team secured a 16-0 victory against Azerbaijan in an opening UEFA U17 European Qualifier. Eleven different players scored for Ireland during the lopsided match held in Rrogozhinë, Albania.
Why it matters
The decisive win provides a significant boost to Ireland's goal difference early in the qualification campaign. Such a lopsided result underscores the competitive gap currently present in this specific stage of the European tournament.
The match saw 11 different players score for Ireland, including a goal by Ava Hallinan in the 34th minute. The final score settled at 16-0.
The players
Republic of Ireland women's under-17 team
This is the national youth squad representing Ireland in international European soccer competitions.
Ava Hallinan
She is a soccer player who scored the sixth goal for Ireland in the match against Azerbaijan.
Sligo Rovers
This is a professional soccer club based in Sligo, Ireland, that competes in the League of Ireland.
Treaty United
This is a professional soccer club based in Limerick, Ireland, that plays in the League of Ireland.
The details
The qualification match took place in the town of Rrogozhinë, Albania, where the Irish squad maintained control throughout the contest. Ava Hallinan, who contributed the sixth goal for her team, remains an active part of the squad's upcoming international schedule.
Timeline
The match against Azerbaijan occurred on September 28, 2026.
Ireland is scheduled to play Albania on October 1, 2026.
The Sligo Rovers game against Treaty United is set for October 3, 2026.
Ireland will face Kosovo on October 4, 2026.
The Big Picture
The match followed the standard structure of the UEFA U17 European Qualifiers, which dictate the path to the continental championship. The result directly contributes to the standings within this qualification framework.
This victory significantly bolsters Ireland's goal difference, providing a distinct advantage in the group table for qualification. Ava Hallinan will be absent from the upcoming Sligo Rovers match against Treaty United on October 3 due to her international commitments.
The takeaway
Large-margin victories are rare but can happen in the early stages of youth tournament qualifiers when talent pools are unbalanced. Such results force opposing teams to prioritize defensive organization in their remaining matches to avoid similar point differentials.
Further reading
For more on international tournaments, visit our Soccer section.
