Heather O’Reilly is backing up that smack talk she levied at Cristiano Ronaldo earlier this week.
O’Reilly, a 37-year-old World Cup winner and three-time Olympic gold medalist, came out of three years of retirement in July to join Irish champion Shelbourne to fulfill her dream of playing in the Champions League. That moment came on Thursday when she started in a Women’s Champions League qualifying match against ZNK Pomurje of Slovenia.
Shelbourne won 1-0, with O’Reilly scoring the lone goal via a header in the fourth minute.
Heather O’Reilly Champions League Goal
A goal
Three years after hanging up her boots.@HeatherOReilly scores her first goal in the @UWCL as the Reds beat
ZNK Pomurje 1-0.#DublinsFinest | #Since1895 pic.twitter.com/BjeUxxPmCf— Shelbourne FC (@shelsfc) August 18, 2022
What a moment for O’Reilly, who gave birth to her second child in November and was convinced to make a comeback by Arsène Wenger.
“I can’t believe it actually happened today,” O’Reilly said after the match. “Obviously to score and that be the game winner is amazing, surreal, I can’t believe this happened. I didn’t think it was going to be possible in my career.”
7️⃣@HeatherOReilly came out of retirement to play in the @UWCL
Tonight she scored the winner for Shels against ZNK PomurjeDreams do come true #DublinsFinest | #Since1895 pic.twitter.com/zLW5Oy2ysx
— Shelbourne FC (@shelsfc) August 18, 2022
Shelbourne now advances to play Iceland champion Valur on Sunday, with the winner advancing to a two-legged playoff in Round 2 of qualifying, from which 12 teams will advance to the 16-team group stage.
The goal was the perfect response to all the haters who criticized O’Reilly for poking fun at the fact Ronaldo, another 37-year-old, will not be playing in the Champions League this season.
Heading to go play Champions League at age 37 and Ronaldo isn’t HAO-7 pic.twitter.com/t7a8ph9or4
— Heather O'Reilly (@HeatherOReilly) August 16, 2022
For those keeping score at home, that’s one Champions League goal for HAO this season and zero for CR7.
— Heather O'Reilly (@HeatherOReilly) August 18, 2022
