90’+4’Full TimeSecond Half ends, Wales Women 4, Northern Ireland Women 1.90’+2’Post updateOffside, Wales Women. Rhiannon Roberts tries a through ball, but Kayleigh Green is caught offside.88’Post updateAttempt blocked. Rachel Rowe (Wales Women) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Kayleigh Green.87’Post updateSubstitution, Wales Women. Hayley Ladd replaces Angharad James.87’Post updateSubstitution, Wales Women. Nadia Lawrence Wynne replaces Jess Fishlock.86’Post updateFoul by Rachel Rowe (Wales Women).85’Post updateFoul by Rachel Rafferty (Northern Ireland Women).85’Post updateRachel Rafferty (Northern Ireland Women) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.84’Post updateAttempt saved. Rachel Rowe (Wales Women) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Kayleigh Green.
Jess Fishlock starred as Wales breezed past Northern Ireland 4-1 in a friendly at the Cardiff City Stadium. The home side opened the scoring in the 16th minute when Fishlock finished off a flowing move, before Angharad James and Hannah Cain put the hosts in control with two quick goals. Rachel Rowe then made it four in the second half before Lauren Wade scored a well-taken consolation for the visitors.
Northern Ireland were playing under interim boss Andy Waterworth after Kenny Shiels left his role in January, and were playing on home soil for the first time since narrowly missing out on the World Cup. The away side had to be alert early on as Fishlock had a shot well blocked by Sarah McFadden and debutant goalkeeper Shannon Turner had a narrow escape when she showed a neat touch to dance around Ceri Holland in the area.
The hosts punished some slack defending for their third goal as Rhiannon Roberts was allowed to get to the byeline and her cross allowed Cain, unmarked in the area, to power home her first international goal. Wales lacked the same intensity after the restart with the win all but secured, although Caragh Hamilton had to be alert to block Esther Morgan’s powerful drive.
However it was four in the 64th minute when Turner failed to collected Ceri Holland’s powerful cross and Rowe converted at the back post. Northern Ireland’s consolation came in the 73rd minute when Wade stole the ball off Gemma Evans and, with Olivia Clark out of position from the original pass by Rachel Furness, the Reading winger was able to curl the ball home into the unguarded goal from a tight angle.
Northern Ireland improved after early struggles under Waterworth, with five of the visitors’ starting team only in pre-season before the Irish Premiership season kicked off. Marissa Callaghan had a shot well blocked and McFadden curled the follow up over in a rare first-half foray forward. Waterworth introduced Chloe McCarron and Rebecca Holloway at the break, and Northern Ireland immediately had more ball in the opposition half, including a move which saw Hamilton fire wide before McCarron fired over.
Furness, Northern Ireland’s record goalscorer who stepped away from international duty for personal reasons, made her return after Rowe made it four. Wade hit the upright behind the goal as Northern Ireland pressed for a consolation, which came through the winger’s excellent finish on 73 minutes.
Wales manager Gemma Grainger praised her team’s performance: “We know we are a team that creates chances and tonight to score four goals is really pleasing. We’ve worked hard to turn chances into goals and tonight we’ve really performed with the finishing and have seen four different goal scorers.” Waterworth also took positives from the game: “Congratulations to Wales, in the first-half they were really good… In the first-half we were nervous… but I saw a lot of character in the second-half.”
Jess Fishlock starred as Wales breezed past Northern Ireland 4-1 in a friendly at the Cardiff City Stadium on Tuesday night. Fishlock opened the scoring in the 16th minute before two quick goals from Angharad James and Hannah Cain put the hosts firmly in control. Rachel Rowe then made it four in the second half before Lauren Wade scored a well-taken consolation for the visitors.
Northern Ireland were playing under interim boss Andy Waterworth after Kenny Shiels left his role in January, and were playing on home soil for the first time since narrowly missing out on qualification for last year’s World Cup. The away side had to be alert early on as Fishlock had a shot well blocked by Sarah McFadden and debutant goalkeeper Shannon Turner had a narrow escape when she showed a neat touch to dance around Ceri Holland in the area.
The hosts punished some slack defending for their third goal as Rhiannon Roberts was allowed to get to the byeline and her cross allowed Cain, unmarked in the area, to power home her first international goal. Wales lacked the same intensity after the restart with the win all but secured, although Caragh Hamilton had to be alert to block Esther Morgan’s powerful drive.
However it was four in the 64th minute when Turner failed to collected Ceri Holland’s powerful cross and Rowe converted at the back post. Northern Ireland’s consolation came in the 73rd minute when Wade stole the ball off Gemma Evans and, with Olivia Clark out of position from Rachel Furness’ original pass, was able to curl the ball home into an unguarded goal from a tight angle.
Northern Ireland improved after early struggles under Waterworth, with five of their starting team only in pre-season before their domestic season kicked off. Marissa Callaghan had a shot well blocked and McFadden curled the follow up over in a rare first-half foray forward. Waterworth introduced Chloe McCarron and Rebecca Holloway at half-time, and Northern Ireland immediately had more ball in their opponents’ half, including a move which saw Hamilton fire wide before McCarron fired over.
Furness, Northern Ireland’s record goalscorer who stepped away from international duty for personal reasons, made her return after Rowe made it four. Wade hit the upright behind the goal as Northern Ireland pressed for a consolation, which came through her excellent finish on 73 minutes.
Wales manager Gemma Grainger praised her team’s performance: “We know we are a team that creates chances and tonight to score four goals is really pleasing. We’ve worked hard to turn chances into goals and tonight we’ve really performed with the finishing and have seen four different goal scorers.” Waterworth also took positives from the game: “Congratulations to Wales, in the first-half they were really good… In the first-half we were nervous… but I saw a lot of character in the second-half.”