Coach Gunnarsdottir praises Red Flames after impressive win, can sleep

National team coach Elisabet Gunnarsdottir celebrated the 1‑0 home victory of the Red Flames against Poland, but emphasized that the first half was full of unsettled moments and that chances were still missed, leaving the team both proud and hungry for the return match.

Continuation of the qualification

Thanks to the narrow victory in Leuven, the Red Flames have taken a lead to Poland for the second leg of the World Cup qualifying duel. With a small bonus in the back pocket they travel to Poland for the return match in this first stage of the play‑offs for the 2027 World Cup. The overview of Football, Tennis, Formula 1, Basketball and other sports, as well as the Programme's main points, shows among others the Jupiler Pro League, the Challenger Pro League, the Champions League, the Europa League and the Conference League.

Coach and goalkeeper analyze match

In the article coach Elisabet Gunnarsdottir radiated pride and said: “I am incredibly happy with how we started the match, especially the first fifteen minutes and large parts of the second half.” She added that the approach in the second half was “great.”

Goalkeeper Lowiese Seynhaeve confirmed the difficult moments in the first half: “We were somewhat unsettled, we needed to believe more in our own quality.” Seynhaeve also saved a penalty and later laughed: “I just needed a drink.”

Gunnarsdottir explained that the ball stayed in the air too often, causing the momentum to be lost, and that the wet grass made it difficult against the opponent’s long balls. She emphasized that the opposition is strong on counters, making the first half problematic.

The coach admitted that more should have been scored, especially in the last fifteen minutes when clear chances arose; more football remains a priority. “That we create chances, I am already very happy with that,” she said, and added that she can sleep with a happy feeling.

If the Red Flames eliminate Poland, the winner of the duel between Kazakhstan and Ireland awaits in the second round. Match winner Elena Dhont concluded: “We can enjoy this moment for a while, tomorrow we will look at Tuesday’s match.”