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Kyra Carusa celebrates her first-half winner. Ryan Byrne/INPHO
Up and Running
Ireland start life under Carla Ward with scrappy win over Türkiye
Kyra Carusa scored the decisive goal in the Nations League opener at Tallaght Stadium.
Republic of Ireland 1
Türkiye 0
THE HISTORY BOOKS will say the Carla Ward Era began with a win.
Kyra Carusa scored the decisive goal just before half time at Tallaght Stadium, as Ireland opened their Nations League B campaign with a 1-0 victory over Türkiye.
As the final whistle sounded, the new Ireland head coach clenched her fist and embraced her coaching staff, and will have been relieved to escape with all three points.
A win is a win — and was key after Euro 2025 heartbreak — but this was forgettable and scrappy against a team ranked 35 places inferior, at 60th in the Fifa World Rankings.
Necla Güngör Kiragasi’s side made life incredibly difficult for the Girls In Green, and could indeed have levelled matters at the death.
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