Kyra Carusa says that Ireland’s ‘rapid’ ‘evolution’ as a side is ‘contagious’ after the Girls in Green secured a statement victory over Netherlands.
Carusa was deservedly jubilant after victory on Friday night having opened the scoring for her nation. The HB Køge striker spoke to the media post match and The Halfway Line was there to hear from her.
Kyra Carusa revels in ‘cinema’ of Abbie Larkin goal
It was an electric match that swung back and forth, especially in the second half but it was Ireland came out on top. Carusa was asked for her initial thoughts following victory,
“We just had a feeling” Carusa stated with clarity. “Football can be so fickle, it can go one way or the other and it’s like a where the wind blows sort of a thing, or you can just be unlucky like earlier in the campaign. Or you can be a call away.”
Between Dominique Janssen’s leveller and Larkin’s goal to regain the lead, just 59 seconds elapsed, added to Carusa’s belief that victory was possible,
“But tonight it was always going to be for us” Carusa said. “It just felt like it was never going to be unlucky. Even after the penalty I told Abbie Larkin that her scoring within 90 seconds maybe that it was cinema.
“Then Amber putting that ball in and scoring, you just couldn’t write it. But you also knew it was going to happen. I don’t know, it’s something special amongst us and I think it was something that we felt very early in this campaign.
“I feel like we felt it when we were away in the Netherlands. We walked off that pitch knowing we wanted to win tonight.”
Kyra Carusa delights in ‘crazy’ track record in Cork
Cork has become a happy hunting ground for Ireland, following victories over France and Slovenia Ireland were confident they could get another result. The 12,569 fans packed into Páirc Uí Chaoimh were treated to another victory.
Carusa herself has family history from Cork with her grandfather hailing from the Rebel County. Ireland’s impressive record in Cork was put to Carusa,
“I know, I said to the guys, our track record is crazy!” Carusa beamed. “No, I think big moments and getting to come to a special place and playing in a special stadium, we are just all so aligned on this. It sounds like for the future we just keep lining up these big matches here.”
Kyra Carusa says Ireland’s ‘opponents don’t think we’ll take opportunities’
It was Carusa who gave Ireland the lead on the night, despite scuffing her shot, it crept past Lize Kop. Carusa was asked if it felt like an age for the ball to roll in,
“A little bit” Carusa conceded. “But at the same time, before I even hit it I knew it would go in. I think teams don’t necessarily think that [about us], maybe they get one opportunity, maybe they get a set piece.
“But again it was just another moment tonight, three goals from three different strikers, three very impressive moments; our ability is incredible and we need to take advantage of the fact that opponents don’t think we’ll take those opportunities.
“Again, as a striker, you put it in the corner, that’s all you need to do. Out of the goalkeeper’s reach, that’s all it needs to be.”
‘Never count us out’ cautions Carusa
Despite having lost to the two top seeds earlier in the campaign, both needed second half fight backs to down Ireland. On Friday Ireland flipped the script,
“I would always say that I would never count us out for anything” Carusa exclaimed coolly. “Always bet on us. In these massive moments we do have big-time players that show up in big-time moments, and it’s a mentality, it’s an aura, it’s top-down.
“You have the likes of Katie McCabe captaining us, and that aura and that ability, it comes off on everyone else. It is really, really impressive. It’s something we all come into. In this environment it’s something that everyone feels a part of. Again, incredible leadership, incredible mentality, but I feel like that’s just so Irish.”
Looking back to the start of the campaign, Ireland put on a great show at home to France but the substitutions from Les Bleues changed the game in the French favour.
While Netherlands did the same and their substitutions, particularly Jackie Groenen and Victoria Pelova had an impact, this time Ireland still won. The Halfway Line asked Carusa if she sees the progress even since those games,
“Oh yeah, absolutely” Carusa affirmed. “And I think our evolution is just happening so rapidly, so much faster, and it’s contagious. It’s incredible to see.
“Again, for myself, this is a side of us that’s always been there and we know it’s there, but it has come out in little moments like Belgium, just small opportunities here and there.
“But truly tonight the massive performances from so many people, and again that feeling of regardless, I would be betting on us to win that game.”
Ireland ‘clawed and worked’ way back into qualification picture says Carusa
In her post match comments Ireland head coach Carla Ward was clear: Ireland can beat France and qualify automatically for the World Cup. The Halfway Line put that to Carusa,
“Again, it’s control what you can control” Carusa reflected. “We said it from the beginning. When you talk about tonight, having thought about this game since the last time we met the Netherlands, Tuesday is the same with France.
“I think about that night we had in Tallaght and you are just thinking, we wanted to be in this moment right now, and we’ve clawed and worked and got ourselves to this moment.
“These are the games you want to be playing, these are the moments you want to be playing in, and I’m excited for us and looking forward to Tuesday.”
Ireland were ‘going to make it happen: period’ reflects confident Carusa
In previous iteration of Ireland sides, a draw would have been fiercely protected with just over ten minutes remaining. This Carla Ward Ireland side refused to settle for that. That was put to Carusa,
“Yeah, and I give so much credit to our staff and Carla” Carusa said. “It was discussed earlier in the week, we have talked about these scenarios, we have walked through the game, what the vibe would be, what we are looking for, and what we want to get out of it.
“So we were prepared for this moment: we need a win here, we’re going to make it happen, period.”
