Every long journey starts with a single step and Carla Ward took a welcome stride in the right direction on her bow as head coach of the Republic of Ireland women’s team. Ward’s ambition is to lead the team to the 2027 World Cup where the sun and samba beat of the Copacabana will seem

Kyra Carusa’s goal deep into first-half stoppage time gave Ward a winning start to her reign, and to Ireland’s Nations League campaign. But the new boss admitted that the game was “scrappy” as her players adjusted to a new system.

A month on from her appointment as Eileen Gleeson’s successor, Carla Ward will get her reign as Republic of Ireland head coach under way against Turkey in Tallaght on Friday evening in the opening game of the team’s Nations League campaign.

Carla Ward managed the Ireland WNT for the first time tonight against Turkey. A Kyra Carusa goal was the difference as Ireland claimed the win.

Carla Ward couldn’t hide her frustration on the touchline as Ireland made a meal of their Nations League win against Turkey on Friday night. Kyra Carusa’s goal decided the tie, but the performance was a few notches below what the new Girls in Green gaffer would have expected on her first 90 minutes in the job.