Wisconsin Soccer Central

Amazon Grimstad's Shannon Smyth (Mequon/Milwaukee DSHA) and the Republic of Ireland women's national team won their group at the Cyprus Cup, holding South Korea to a 0-0 draw on Monday in Paralimni.

The Irish and South Koreans both finished 2-0-1 in Group C play, but the Republic's plus-six goal differential in wins over Northern Ireland and South Africa was one better than South Korea's 5-0 scoring advantage.

Ireland will play Finland on Wednesday in Paralimni in the seventh-place match at the 12-team tournament. The Finns went 0-2-1 in Group B, tying the Netherlands 1-1 before losing to Canada 2-1 and Switzerland 3-2.

Smyth played 73 minutes Monday in her 21st career cap for Ireland, which is ranked 34th in the FIFA Women's World Rankings. For comparison, South Korea is 16th and Finland is 19th.

It's a few days late, but here are the highlights from Ireland's 5-1 win over Northern Ireland from last Wednesday – Smyth scored the fourth goal for the Republic, the first of her international career. The move that concludes with Smyth's goal starts at the 3:12 mark.

• FC Kansas City defender Lauren Sesselmann (Green Bay Notre Dame) was an unused sub as Canada topped the Netherlands 1-0 on Monday in Nicosia to finish 3-0-0 atop Group B at the Cyprus Cup. Chicago Red Stars defender Carmelina Moscato, a former University of Wisconsin assistant, played the first 45 minutes for Canada, which will play England in the tounament final Wednesday in Nicosia. The Canadians have played for the championship every year since the tournament started, winning in 2008, '10 and '11 and finishing second in 2009 and '12.
• Incoming UW freshman Rose Lavelle played the full 90 minutes Saturday as the U.S. Under-20 women's national team lost to Germany 3-0 at the 12 Nations Tournament in La Manga, Spain. The Americans were scheduled to play Sweden in their final match of the tournament on Monday, but that result wasn't available.