Kyra Carusa happy for Katie McCabe and Diane Caldwell to share Albania adulation
While it was an extremely pleasing night at the office from her own perspective, Kyra Carusa took the time to heap praise on another Republic of Ireland star in the aftermath of their UEFA Women’s Nations League triumph over Albania at Tallaght Stadium last Friday.
Supplementing a hat-trick from player of the match Katie McCabe, Carusa bagged a brace of second half goals to ensure the Girls In Green recorded a 5-1 victory and moved five points clear at the summit of this inaugural competition’s Group B1.
Instead of regular skipper McCabe, veteran defender Diane Caldwell was tasked with leading out the side on the occasion of her 100th senior international cap and delivered a typically assured performance over the course of the action.
Given the strong bond she has developed with the Balbriggan native since she first made her Irish debut in February 2020, Carusa was thrilled to be part of a special evening for Caldwell in south Dublin.
“Capitano! Oh my gosh, I couldn’t be more proud. Whenever I think of Di I just say, when I was first in that camp, she was one of the first people to genuinely sit with me at a breakfast. Have a conversation with me that I really remembered and made me feel so at home,” Carusa acknowledged in the minutes that followed Friday’s game.
“The first camp ever and since then she has literally put me under her wing and made me feel so about this team in such a different way. Now it’s many years later, but I still feel that way. For her it meant everything and so much pride to know that she’s representing us on her 100th cap.”
In addition to being their third win from three in the Nations League, Friday’s game also saw a potentially interesting evolution in this Ireland team.
Primarily deployed by previous manager Vera Pauw as either a left-back or left wing-back, McCabe was selected alongside Carusa in attack by interim boss Eileen Gleeson.
Despite playing the game with a torn tricep muscle – her right arm was bandaged as a result – McCabe combined to devastating effect with the US-born Carusa.
Aside from her own hat-trick of finishes, she provided assists for both of Carusa’s goals and the San Diego Wave striker was unsurprisingly delighted to be linking up with the Arsenal ace in the final-third.
“It’s class to be able to play next to a player like Katie. It means one thing to play on the field with her, but to be up front and in offensive positions with her, she just puts you in great positions. She works so well off the ball, it sticks to her,” Carusa added.
“It’s the same with Denise [O’Sullivan]. Sometimes they just lay balls into you and you’re just like, ‘thank you so much!’ I think tonight, it really worked well. Her distribution is fantastic as we know and it’s just good to know that I was on the end of a few of them”.