Eight-goal Ireland move closer to World Cup spot as they outclass Kazakhstan in Astana

World Cup playoff, first leg: Kazakhstan 0 Republic of Ireland 8 (Carusa 7, 28, Mustaki 16, Murphy 44, Larkin 45+3, Finn 58, Hopcroft 73, Stapleton 90)The Republic of Ireland scored eight goals – five from headers – at the Astana Arena to remain on course to face the winners of Belgium versus Poland in a playoff final next month to qualify for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.Carla Ward’s team make the long journey home for Tuesday’s second leg at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork following a comprehensive dismissal of a Kazakhstan side that looked out of their depth from kick-off. The mismatch should bring into question the methods employed by Uefa and Fifa to qualify for major tournaments through the current playoff system. Ireland can only beat the opposition put in front of them. Outstanding individual performances by Abbie Larkin and Chloe Mustaki ensured that Ward’s understrength starting XI did not miss the rested Denise O’Sullivan, injured Jess Ziu or the suspended duo Katie McCabe and Marissa Sheva. READ MOREKyra Carusa brought her international tally to 15 goals with two headed finishes from Mustaki deliveries into the box. Mustaki, now 31, and finally living up to the potential she showed as a younger player before she had to step away from the game to receive treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma. She scored her first international goal after the unplayable Larkin drew a fumbling save from Nazym Ismailova before Emily Murphy’s shot rebounded off the post for the Nottingham Forest defender to finish from an acute angle. Any chance of the home team keeping in touch with Ireland was ended by the sending off of Yulia Myasnikova for a foul on Larkin in the 30th minute. Controversially, VAR intervened before Norwegian referee Karoline Marie Jensen showed the Kazakhstan captain a straight red card.Emily Murphy scores Ireland's fourth goal in Astana. Photograph: Inpho Ismailova, who was at fault for the opening three goals, was replaced with an injury after an innocuous fall 10 minutes before half-time. Kazyna Norbayeva was not much better; she was unable to deny Murphy scoring after Larkin took on four defenders before stinging the goalkeeper’s hands with a shot, that her strike partner followed up. Larkin made it 5-0 in first-half injury time. The game lacked intensity in the second half as an attack versus defence, training ground feel developed between the Irish professionals and local part-timers. Ward took the opportunity to replace Carusa, Lazio’s Megan Connolly and Murphy with Amber Barrett, Leanne Kiernan and Tyler Toland. It made little difference. Kazakhstan crowded the middle, which invited Aoife Mannion and Mustaki to raid down the flanks and cross at will. Mannion assisted two second-half goals; her clever crossing invited Jamie Finn to make it 6-0 before Shanade Hopcroft, on debut, made it 7-0 with a nice touch at the front post. Jess Stapleton claimed an eighth in the 90th minute. The first leg between Belgium and Poland in Leuven kicks off tonight at 7.15pm. Ward can run her squad for the second leg next Tuesday in Cork when O’Sullivan, McCabe and Sheva are all expected to return. KAZAKHSTAN: Ismailova (Portnova, 39); Burova, Myasnikova (capt), Nurusheva, Vlassova; Babshuk, Nizamutdinova (Norbayeva, 62), Zhumabaikyzy (Popova, 75); Gaistenova, Bibossynova (Osipova, 75), Turlybekova (Sadykova, 75).Red Card: Myasnikova (33).REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Brosnan; Patten (Hopcroft, 70), Hayes (Nolan, 70), Stapleton; Mannion, Connolly (Toland, 46), Finn, Mustaki; Murphy (Kiernan, 46), Larkin; Carusa (Barrett, 46).Referee: Karoline Marie Jensen (Norway).