In the capital of the French Alps, the Republic of Ireland can breathe rarefied air.

Last November, when they were plucked from pot four and placed in Group 2 of League A, the reaction was pretty positive. Netherlands, France and Poland represented a tough group, but the immediate feeling was Ireland could take four points off the Poles and nick third, which would earn a seeded place in the play-offs.

Forget about winning the thing. Few, if any, observers considered that a realistic possibility.

And yet it is a possibility after that rock and roll defeat of the Dutch by the banks of the River Lee last Friday night.

Carla Ward is a dreamer... now she's not the only one.

Her options tonight are swelled by the returns from suspension of Emily Murphy and Denise O'Sullivan - massive additions - though Ward will be without Leanne Kiernan who was sent off in the dying embers of the Páirc Uí Chaoimh triumph.

O'Sullivan will go into the middle of the park ahead of Ruesha Littlejohn, but Ward might have to think quite hard about Murphy. Abbie Larkin was excellent against the Dutch, a livewire menace who combined really well with Kyra Carusa in the top third. If she doesn't start, the Ringsend 22-year-old will be a valuable asset on the bench.

Amber Barrett always backs herself and will believe she deserves a shot from the start. The Donegal 30-year-old added another famous goal to her repertoire with a late winner in Cork. She plays her club football in Strasbourg and would relish a crack at the French back line, however Ward is likely to stick with Carusa, reliably honest and effective as a target player.

Bar that, the team pretty much picks itself.

They will step on to the Stade des Alpes turf just before 8pm aiming to realise an impossible dream.

The last time France lost a competitive game at home was against England in Saint-Etienne two years ago in the Nations League, but that was a rare blemish.

There'll be about 9,000 in the 20,000-capacity ground and they will expect to see Laurent Bonadei's charges win. Bonadei - likeable and wily - was Herve Renard's assistant when a much-changed France came unstuck against Ireland in Cork a couple of years ago.

Yesterday he referenced Ward's decision to narrow the pitch at Tallaght Stadium when the countries met in March, smilingly acknowledging such manoeuvres will not be happening here.

France are without the electric Kadidiatou Diani due to a knee injury but her loss is absorbed by a carousel of quality.

Delphine Cascarino is available having missed the trip to Dublin, with Sandy Baltimore, Grace Geyoro, Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Vicki Becho all carrying threats across different parts of the field. Ward also expects Manchester United striker Melvine Malard to start.

She came off the bench with 20 minutes to go in Tallaght when Ireland were one-nil up. A Malard brace in the space of eight minutes turned the contest on its head. She's lethal.

This will be a draining test requiring immense concentration and quality.

It was hot and muggy when Ireland trained yesterday lunchtime but temperatures will be more forgiving come kick-off at 9pm (8pm Irish time). It's expected to be about 19/20 degrees in Grenoble; cooler but still heavy.

Ireland must keep the ball and ask questions of a French outfit who've scored 10 times in their five matches. Ireland have bagged nine.

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Interestingly, Ward was keen to highlight the impact of performance nutritionist Olivia Patel. Having shipped late goals to France, the Netherlands in Utrecht, and to Poland in Gdansk, there were some concerns the side was tiring badly in the last ten minutes of games.

Against the Dutch in Cork, it was a different story. Ireland worked ferociously to the end, with Ward explaining: "I'm going to say fuelling. I’m OK with saying it but I think she’s the best in the game, our nutritionist. Our nutritionist has brought in a high-level, high-performance chef.

"I do believe (the Netherlands) is the first game at 70 minutes that we didn’t see the shift that we had seen. So they deserve a lot of credit, the performance team."

Before this campaign, a bottom seeded team had never avoided relegation in a League A group. Right now, Ireland are the best form team across the whole of League A qualifying. Any side that strings together three wins in a row at this level deserves respect.

No matter what happens tonight, Ireland are in a good place, and if they are to head to the play-offs in the autumn, they'll do so as a team no one will want to draw.

"I think anything is achievable, I think anything is possible," Ward declared.

"We’ll be ready for it, it’s a different kind of cup final... because a cup final has pressure. This game has no pressure. No pressure whatsoever."

Predicted Republic of Ireland XI: Courtney Brosnan; Aoife Mannion, Anna Patten, Caitlin Hayes, Chloe Mustaki, Katie McCabe; Denise O'Sullivan, Megan Connolly, Marissa Sheva; Emily Murphy, Kyra Carusa

Prediction: France 2-1 Republic of Ireland

Watch France v Republic of Ireland in FIFA Women's World Cup qualifying on Tuesday from 7.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow our live blog on RTÉ.ie/sport and RTÉ News app and listen to commentary on Inside Sport on RTÉ Radio 1

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Source: RTE