How do Republic of Ireland stop prolific Pajor?

Pajor is Poland's all-time leading goalscorer with 70 goals [Getty Images]

Carla Ward has plenty to ponder as Republic of Ireland gear up for two must-win World Cup 2027 qualifying games home and away against Poland.

Having suffered narrow defeats against France and the Netherlands in their opening two games, Republic of Ireland are bottom of the group and desperate for six points against the Poles that could propel them to third and secure a play-off for the tournament in Brazil.

The biggest conundrum to solve ahead of the first of the double-header in Gdansk on Tuesday will undoubtedly be how her side stop one of the most prolific strikers in the world, Barcelona's Ewa Pajor, from continuing her devastating form in front of goal.

BBC Sport NI looks at how Ward will aim to contain the clinical forward and Poland's biggest threat.

Pajor's goalscoring prowess

Pajor has slotted seamlessly into Barcelona's star-studded side with 76 goals in 81 matches to date [Getty Images]

Pajor has had a rapid ascent from humble beginnings in Poland to consistent goal scorer in Germany and finally becoming one of the world's most feared striker's since moving to Barcelona in the summer of 2024.

She came through the ranks at Polish club Medyk Konin and made her debut at 15 years and 133 days, becoming the youngest player to appear in Poland's top flight.

Pajor went on to score 64 goals in 60 league games for the club before earning a move to German giants Wolfsburg in 2015.

After a slow start in her first two seasons in Germany, she became a key player and scored 136 goals in 196 games for the club, winning a total of five Bundesliga titles and nine German Cups.

Pajor then made the next step after nine seasons with Wolfsburg and joined the all-conquering Barcelona.

She hit the ground running in Catalonia, scoring 43 goals in 46 games, surpassing Jenni Hermoso's record (42 goals) for the most goals in a debut season with the club to take home the Pichichi Trophy as the top scorer in Liga F as well as a league and cup double.

So far this campaign she has 28 goals in 36 games, including three across both legs of Barcelona's 12-2 aggregate Champions League quarter-final win over Real Madrid.

Pajor has carried her club goalscoring form onto the international stage and is Poland's all-time leading goal scorer with 70 goals.

Her most memorable no doubt will have been the second in a 2-0 aggregate win over Austria in a Euro 2025 qualification play-off in Vienna that secured Poland's place at first major tournament on her 28th birthday.

'She is world class'

Pajor can produce a range of different finishes [Getty Images]

The Republic of Ireland are under no illusion as to the threat that the Polish captain poses and need not look too far from home to see the damage she has previously inflicted.

Pajor netted twice in a 4-0 Poland win over Northern Ireland in May last year and scored two very different goals.

For the first she nipped in between three defenders to tap home from a low cross and for the second she stroked into an empty net after dispossessing goalkeeper Jackie Burns.

She has two goals from two games in this qualifying campaign, again very different in style.

For the opener in Poland's 2-2 draw with the Netherlands, she charged into the box before rifling into the far corner and for Poland's only goal in their 4-1 defeat by France, she held off two defenders before poking home with her range of different finishes further highlighting how difficult it is to contain Pajor.

"She's obviously a really good player for Barcelona, highly rated," defender Aoife Mannion told RTE when asked about the striker.

Ward also told The Halfway Line in March that Pajor was "world class".

"She could play in any team in the world. She does it week in, week out for Barcelona, she's a tremendous talent," she continued.

In trying to limit Pajor's influence, it goes without saying that Ward's side will have to be defensively solid, particularly in Gdansk.

In their previous two games against France and Netherlands the Irish have deployed a back five of Mannion at right-wing back, Anna Patten, Caitlin Hayes and Chloe Mustaki as centre-backs and captain Katie McCabe at left-wing back.

Three of those five in Patten, Hayes and McCabe play in the Women's Super League [WSL] against quality strikers such as Alessia Russo, Bunny Shaw and Vivianne Miedama week in week out while Mannion and Mustaki have previous top flight experience.

McCabe also has direct experience of coming up against the 29-year-old and got the better of Pajor in the Champions League final last year as Arsenal beat Barcelona 1-0 in the decider.

They will have to work as a unit to nullify Pajor and stop crosses at source to prevent her from getting on the end of deliveries, track her movements into the box as she likes to drop deep to start attacks and be aggressive at set pieces to prevent her from using her aerial threat.

Stopping Pajor from scoring in both games may not be enough to help Ward's side to two victories but it will certainly be a good springboard in their quest to do so given how difficult a task it will be.