Last updated on .From the section Football
The Republic of Ireland were denied a second-half winner when China goalkeeper Huan Xu punched into her own net, only for the referee to disallow the goalManchester United defender Aoife Mannion made her Republic of Ireland debut in Wednesday's 0-0 friendly draw with China in Algeciras.
Louise Quinn headed against the crossbar in the best chance of the first half from Katie McCabe's corner.
Both sides had goals ruled out as Xiao Yuyi netted in the second half but was deemed to be offside.
China goalkeeper Huan Xu punched the ball into her own net from a corner but was saved by the referee's whistle.
The friendly in Algeciras is part of the Republic's training camp in Spain as World Cup preparations continue, where Vera Pauw's side will make their debut at a major tournament in Australia and New Zealand.
Five months before their World Cup opener with co-hosts Australia, manager Pauw handed debuts to Mannion and Perth Glory defender Deborah-Anne de la Harpe, who qualifies for the Repulc through her County Antrim-born grandmother.
The low-key first half was perhaps understandable given the lack of international football for both sides. After a behind-closed-doors friendly with Germany earlier in the camp, Pauw's team were playing their first official friendly since November while China, ranked 14th in the world, were playing only their second game in seven months.
It was Birmingham City defender Quinn who came closest to breaking the deadlock when her powerful header rattled the crossbar from McCabe's corner midway through the half.
Linhwei Yao, who was earlier booked for a scything challenge on Denise O'Sullivan, tested the gloves of Courtney Brosnan from a well-worked short corner, but Quinn was involved again as the Republic recycled the ball following Megan Campbell's long throw, and the defender's looping header was gathred by Huan Xu.
US-born Marissa Sheva, 25, was handed her debut by Pauw as one of three half-time substitutes, but it was centurion Quinn who was called into action at the other end when she blocked Lin Yan Zhang's goal-bound shot.
After a lull in proceedings, both sides had goals ruled out in the matter of three minutes. Xiao Yuyi scored on 61 minutes but the assistant referee flagged for offside, before Xu punched into her net from an Irish corner and was a touch fortunate that Jason Barcello's whistle for a foul saved her from an embarrassing own goal.
Brosnan pulled off a superb point-blank save to deny Jiahui Lou from close range after a mix-up in the Irish defence and Megan Campbell's free-kick failed to trouble Xu in the closing stages.
Line-upsMatch StatsLive TextFormation 4-4-2
12
Xu
2
Li
3
Wang
4
Wang
33
Chen
20
Xiao
10
Zhang
16
Yao
6
Zhang
14
Lou
11
Wang
12
Xu
2
Li
Booked at 90mins
Substituted for
Gao
at
90+2'
minutes
3
Wang
Substituted for
Wu
at
72'
minutes
4
Wang
33
Chen
20
Xiao
Substituted for
Sadik
at
72'
minutes
10
Zhang
16
Yao
Booked at 22mins
Substituted for
Yang
at
45'
minutes
6
Zhang
14
Lou
11
Wang
Substituted for
Zhang
at
45'
minutesSubstitutes
1
Zhu
5
Wu
8
Yao
9
Shen
13
Yang
15
Wu
17
Liu
19
Zhang
23
Gao
24
Pan
26
Gu
27
Sadik
30
Li
31
Fang
32
Ou
Formation 5-4-1
1
Brosnan
26
De La Harpe
25
Mannion
4
Quinn
6
Connolly
5
Campbell
20
Larkin
12
Agg
10
O'Sullivan
11
McCabe
14
Payne
1
Brosnan
26
De La Harpe
Substituted for
O'Gorman
at
45'
minutes
25
Mannion
Substituted for
Caldwell
at
70'
minutes
4
Quinn
6
Connolly
5
Campbell
20
Larkin
Substituted for
Sheva
at
45'
minutes
Booked at 90mins
12
Agg
Substituted for
Littlejohn
at
45'
minutes
10
O'Sullivan
11
McCabe
14
Payne
Substituted for
Carusa
at
75'
minutesSubstitutes
2
Scott
3
Walsh
7
Caldwell
8
Littlejohn
9
Barrett
13
O'Gorman
15
Quinn
16
Moloney
17
Finn
18
Atkinson
19
Nolan
21
Grant
22
Carusa
23
Walsh
24
Sheva
Referee:Jason Barcelo
Post update
Match ends, China PR 0, Republic of Ireland Women 0.
Full Time
Second Half ends, China PR 0, Republic of Ireland Women 0.
Booking
Marissa Sheva (Republic of Ireland Women) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Zhang Linyan (China PR) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Marissa Sheva (Republic of Ireland Women).
Post update
Corner, Republic of Ireland Women. Conceded by Gao Chen.
Substitution
Substitution, China PR. Gao Chen replaces Li Mengwen.
Booking
Li Mengwen (China PR) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Li Mengwen (China PR).
Post update
Ruesha Littlejohn (Republic of Ireland Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Corner, Republic of Ireland Women. Conceded by Wang Linlin.
Post update
Foul by Li Mengwen (China PR).
Post update
Megan Campbell (Republic of Ireland Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Xu Huan (China PR) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Katie McCabe (Republic of Ireland Women).
Post update
Attempt saved. Zhang Linyan (China PR) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Zhang Xin with a cross.
Post update
Zhang Linyan (China PR) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Denise O'Sullivan (Republic of Ireland Women).
Post update
Attempt blocked. Wu Haiyan (China PR) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Post update
Corner, China PR. Conceded by Megan Connolly.
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