Photo by Stephen McCarthy
Ireland made their grand return to Tallaght Stadium on Friday with a 5-1 victory over Albania, continuing a successful Nations League journey after wins against Northern Ireland and Hungary earlier in the campaign.
Several players undoubtedly stood out and made their mark on the pitch as did several position change ups.
1. Katie McCabe is the queen of the follow up
It is said that Katie McCabe “only scores bangers”, this was in fact evident when she was the scorer of two goals over the first half. Her first came four minutes into the match when Abbie Larkin crossed the ball into the penalty area where it was then kicked into the net by the Irish captain. McCabe’s second goal came at 26 minutes into the first half when a corner kick from Megan Connolly was deflected by the Albanian keeper before McCabe capitalised on this, scoring yet again.
☘️ Ireland 5-1 Albania 🇦🇱
81 minutes gone, Katie McCabe, hatrick hero!
🔥 @HerSportDotIE pic.twitter.com/3EMaOq3ku2— Alanna Cunnane (@acunnane10) October 27, 2023
2. Izzy Atkinson is unstoppable on the left wing
One young player that stood out over the course of the first half was West Ham United’s Izzy Atkinson. Atkinson provided countless assists on the left wing and was seemingly synchronised with Katie McCabe. It was the 22 years old’s support on the far left that allowed McCabe to play further up the field in the centre, facilitating an Irish victory.
STARTING XI | Ireland v Albania
A special moment for Diane Caldwell, who leads us out on her 100th Cap 👏#COYGIG | #OUTBELIEVE | #WeAreOne pic.twitter.com/iEmzO3pPGA— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) October 27, 2023
3. Katie McCabe further up the pitch could be beneficial
As previously alluded to, the Irish Captain usually plays on the left wing, a position that was taken up by Atkinson who preformed brilliantly in the spot. McCabe, however showed her strength in the centre of the field, a position that gave her the advantage of scoring straight shots.
Ireland 4-1 Albania: Katie McCabe and Kyra Carusa combine again to put real breathing room between the two sides. #IRLALB
📱 Updates: https://t.co/Sv9MTe992V
📺 Watch live: https://t.co/JYf06csIye pic.twitter.com/rnJGs40oEF— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) October 27, 2023
4. Albania’s deflects are their greatest weakness
Albania overwhelmed the crowd in the first half after having entered the game as the underdog. The team did in fact, manage to score shortly after McCabe’s opening goal, a testament to their technical and possessive strength. This being said, Albania’s deflections are what led to their downfall. For instance, McCabe was able to score a second goal due to a deflection made by Albanian goalkeeper Rexhepi, who at another point, also made the same mistake leading to an unsuccessful rebound by Megan Connolly.
Abbie Larkin and Izzy Atkinson 🤝 guaranteed giggles 🤣
The new @GlasgowCityFC player shed light on the type of friendship herself and Atkison (@westhamwomen) have within the #IrishWNT camp.
💣The laugh counter nearly bust with the giddiness! #AbbieLarkin #izzyatkinson pic.twitter.com/3BhYNrzL1L— Her Sport (@HerSportDotIE) October 26, 2023
5. Kyra Carusa just keeps getting better and better
Among the strongest players on the pitch was the San Diego Wave’s Kyra Carusa who has made a name for herself over the course of the Nations League Window, having scored in every match so far. Carusa shone bright when she scored two goals two minutes apart at the start of the second half. Her first came when she chipped the ball over Rexhepi at 56 minutes in before heading the ball into the net thanks to a cross by Katie McCabe at 58 minutes into the game.
Judging by their recent results, the girls in green definitely have a bright future in sight in the Nations League and may even have a shot at qualifying for the Euros in 2025. One thing is for sure, this team proves that technical change on the pitch can be a strength, not a weakness.
Ireland 3-1 Albania: Katie McCabe is involved once again, leading a fine counter-attack before playing the ball in for Kyra Carusa to add the third goal. . #IRLALB
📱 Updates: https://t.co/pHFgp6djwx
📺 Watch live: https://t.co/JYf06csaIG pic.twitter.com/bQD6TcOW9e— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) October 27, 2023
