Republic of Ireland striker Kyra Carusa has been rewarded for her fine performances at the World Cup with a move back to the United States to play for her hometown club San Diego Wave in the National Women’s Soccer League.
The 27-year-old left US for Europe four years ago, having a brief spell with Le Havre in France before enjoying three hugely successful seasons with HB Køge in Denmark, during which she won two league titles and was voted player of the year. Last January she joined London City Lionesses in the English Championship, but has now returned to San Diego to play under Casey Stoney, the former England international and Manchester United manager.
She has, though, just been signed until the end of the current season, so will need to find her feet quickly to prove her worth, the team sixth in the table midway through their campaign, five points behind Denise O’Sullivan’s North Carolina Courage.
Carusa is the third Irish player to leave London City since the end of last season, Hayley Nolan going on to join Crystal Palace while Lily Agg is yet to sign for a new club. They have, though, brought in two new Irish recruits, Niamh Farrelly joining them this week from Parma while goalkeeper Grace Moloney has signed up after leaving Reading.
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Four more of Ireland’s World Cup squad – Megan Connolly, Ruesha Littlejohn, Heather Payne and Megan Walsh – remain ‘unattached’, as does Megan Campbell who missed out on the World Cup through injury.
