Wales manager Jayne Ludlow has named a 22-player squad to face Northern Ireland in the UEFA Women’s Euro 2021 qualification campaign.
Faw.cymru says that Ludlow will welcome back captain Sophie Ingle who was forced to withdraw from last month’s 1-0 win against Belarus due to a hip injury. However, one of their most experienced players, Natasha Harding, will be unavailable for the match in Belfast after picking up an injury while playing for Reading.
Midfielder Chloe Williams and forward Maria Francis-Jones will be looking to earn their first Wales caps after going through the age group ranks. Williams was part of the squad that faced Portugal last November while Francis-Jones from Llandiloes was part of the Cymru side which competed in last month’s #WU17EURO qualifying round. The U-17s are awaiting confirmation of whether their third-place finish was enough to book a place in the elite round of the competition for the second year running.
Wales and Northern Ireland have already met in the group stage, where a last-minute equaliser for the visitors meant the spoils were shared in a 2-2 draw at Rodney Parade. Wales are still unbeaten in the group with two wins and a draw while Northern Ireland have played one game less, including the Wales draw and a defeat to group leaders Norway.
Wales squad v Northern Ireland at Seaview, Belfast (Tues 12 November, 7.45pm):
Laura O’Sullivan (Cardiff City LFC), Claire Skinner (Cardiff City LFC), Olivia Clark (Huddersfield Town), Sophie Ingle (Chelsea), Hayley Ladd (Manchester United), Loren Dykes (Bristol City), Gemma Evans (Bristol City), Nadia Lawrence (Cardiff City LFC), Rhiannon Roberts (Liverpool), Anna Filbey (Tottenham Hotspur), Angharad James (Reading), Elise Hughes (Everton), Rachel Rowe (Reading), Megan Wynne (Tottenham Hotspur, Helen Ward (Watford), Kayleigh Green (Brighton & Hove Albion), Josie Green (Tottenham Hotspur), Georgia Walters (Tranmere Rovers), Kylie Nolan (Cardiff City LFC), Carrie Jones (Cardiff City LFC), Maria Francis-Jones (Cardiff City LFC), Chloe Williams (Manchester United)
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