Top of Group I following an unbeaten run of five games, Vera Pauw’s team now face their toughest challenge yet in a Germany team who have scored 31 goals in their four games.
 
Ireland will know what to expect from the eight-times European champions, who they will host again at home in December after visiting Ukraine next month.
 
The nine group winners and the three best runners-up (not counting results against the sixth-placed team) qualify directly for the final tournament, while the remaining six runners-up advance to the play-offs.
 
 
TEAM NEWS
There are no injury concerns for the Republic of Ireland with a full squad to pick from.

Midfielder Megan Connolly comes into contention after missing the last three games, while Heather Payne and Leanne Kiernan were forced out of the last camp in March due to injury.
 

SQUAD LISTS
Germany
Goalkeepers: Merle Frohms (Eintracht Frankfurt), Laura Benkarth (Bayern Munich), Ann-Katrin Berger (Chelsea)
Defenders: Kathrin Hendrich (Wolfsburg), Leonie Maier (Arsenal), Marina Hegering (Bayern Munich), Lena Oberdorf (Wolfsburg), Giulia Gwinn (Bayern Munich), Felicitas Rauch (Wolfsburg), Sophia Kleinherne (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Midfielders: Svenja Huth (Wolfsburg), Dzenifer Marozsan (Lyon), Sara Dabritz (Paris Saint-Germain), Melanie Leupolz (Chelsea), Lina Magull (Bayern Munich), Sydney Lohmann (Bayern Munich), Lena Lattwein (Hoffenheim), Paulina Krumbiegel (Hoffenheim)
Forwards: Lea Schuller (Bayern Munich), Alexandra Popp (Wolfsburg), Laura Freigang (Eintracht Frankfurt), Sandra Starke (Freiburg), Tabea Wabmuth (Hoffenheim)
 
Republic of Ireland
Goalkeepers: Marie Hourihan (SC Braga), Courtney Brosnan (West Ham United), Niamh Reid-Burke (Peamount United)
Defenders: Harriet Scott (Birmingham City), Louise Quinn (Fiorentina), Diane Caldwell (SC Sand), Claire O'Riordan (MSV Duisburg), Aine O'Gorman (Peamount United)
Midfielders: Niamh Fahey (Liverpool), Jamie Finn (Shelbourne), Denise O'Sullivan (Brighton & Hove Albion), Alli Murphy (London City Lionesses), Niamh Farrelly (Peamount United), Megan Connolly (Brighton & Hove Albion), Hayley Nolan (London City Lionesses), Ruesha Littlejohn (Leicester City), Ellen Molloy (Wexford Youths)
Forwards: Katie McCabe (Arsenal), Heather Payne (Florida State University), Leanne Kiernan (West Ham United), Amber Barrett (FC Koln), Rianna Jarrett (Brighton & Hove Albion), Kyra Carusa (HB Hoge)
 
 
CAPS LIST
Republic of Ireland
Goalkeepers: Marie Hourihan (23 caps / 10 clean sheets), Courtney Brosnan (1 cap / 1 clean sheet), Niamh Reid-Burke (5 caps / 0 clean sheets)
Defenders: Harriet Scott (20 caps / 0 goals), Louise Quinn (79 caps / 11 goals), Diane Caldwell (76 caps / 3 goals), Claire O'Riordan (15 caps / 0 goals), Aine O'Gorman (102 caps / 13 goals)
Midfielders: Niamh Fahey (90 caps / 0 goals), Jamie Finn (1 cap / 0 goals), Denise O'Sullivan (77 caps / 11 goals), Alli Murphy (0 caps / 0 goals), Niamh Farrelly (2 caps / 0 goals), Megan Connolly (23 caps / 1 goal), Hayley Nolan (0 caps / 0 goals), Ruesha Littlejohn (56 caps / 6 goals), Ellen Molloy (0 caps / 0 goals)
Forwards: Katie McCabe (45 caps / 9 goals), Heather Payne (11 caps / 0 goals), Leanne Kiernan (19 caps / 4 goals), Amber Barrett (18 caps / 2 goals), Rianna Jarrett (10 caps / 1 goal), Kyra Carusa (1 cap / 0 goals)
 
 
STATS
5 games played
10 goals scored
3 clean sheets
77 attempts on goal
22 attempts on target
21 attempts blocked
31 corners won
 
Goals
3 – Katie McCabe
2 – Diane Caldwell
1 – Amber Barrett, Rianna Jarrett, Denise O’Sullivan, Tyler Toland, Shmatko OG
 
Assists
2 – Rianna Jarrett, Louise Quinn
1 – Amber Barrett, Katie McCabe, Denise O’Sullivan
 
Clean Sheets
2 – Marie Hourihan
1 – Courtney Brosnan
 
Yellow Cards
1 – Diane Caldwell, Jamie Finn, Katie McCabe, Julie-Ann Russell
 

RESULTS
August 31, 2019: Germany 10-0 Montenegro
September 3, 2019: Republic of Ireland 2-0 Montenegro
September 3, 2019: Ukraine 0-8 Germany
October 5, 2019: Germany 8-0 Ukraine
October 8, 2019: Republic of Ireland 3-2 Ukraine
October 8, 2019: Greece 0-5 Germany
November 6, 2019: Montenegro 0-4 Greece
November 12, 2019: Greece 1-1 Republic of Ireland
March 5, 2020: Republic of Ireland 1-0 Greece
March 11, 2020: Montenegro 0-3 Republic of Ireland
 

FIXTURES
September 18, 2020: Montenegro v Ukraine
September 19, 2020: Germany v Republic of Ireland
September 22, 2020: Montenegro v Germany
September 22, 2020: Ukraine v Greece
October 21, 2020: Greece v Montenegro
October 22, 2020: Ukraine v Republic of Ireland
October 26, 2020: Greece v Ukraine
November 26, 2020: Germany v Greece
November 30, 2020: Ukraine v Montenegro
December 1, 2020: Republic of Ireland v Germany
 

PREVIOUS MEETINGS
September 17, 2014: Germany 2-0 Republic of Ireland
April 5, 2014: Republic of Ireland 2-3 Germany
August 26, 2006: Republic of Ireland 0-3 Germany
May 10, 2006: Germany 1-0 Republic of Ireland
 

NOTES

• Germany have won the UEFA Women’s European Championships eight times (1989, 1991, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2013)
• Germany sit second in the FIFA Women’s Rankings, while the Republic of Ireland are currently 31st
• Germany have only lost once in their last 24 matches, which was the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup quarter-final against Sweden
• Three members of the Ireland squad play their club football in Germany – Diane Caldwell (SC Sand), Claire O’Riordan (MSV Duisburg), and Amber Barrett (FC Koln)
• Midfielders Alli Murphy and Ellen Molloy are included in the squad following first senior call-ups

MATCH DETAILS
Germany v Republic of Ireland
Saturday, March 19
UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 Qualifier – Group I
Stadion Essen
Kick-Off: 13:00 (Irish Time)
Live on TV: RTE2
Referee: Monika Mularczyk (Poland)
 

SOCIAL MEDIA
Game Hashtag: #GERIRL
Team Hashtag: #IRLWNT

Click here to view Republic of Ireland WNT Media Guide