Wales 4-0 Estonia: Record crowd see’s Wales hit Estonia for Four
Wales 4-0 Estonia in a FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifier at the Cardiff City Stadium on the 26th October 2021. Credit: Mike James
Wales hit four past Estonia in record breaking game at Cardiff City Stadium. In what was a record attendance for a Women’s international Wales picked up their third win in group I.
Angharad James got Wales’ first after 27 minutes to give Gemma Grainers side a 1-0 lead at the break. Record score Helen Ward added the second just after the restart and Natasha Harding made it three on 54 minutes. Captain Sophie Ingle added a fourth in stoppage time to round a good performance from Wales.
Wales started quickly against an Estonian side which sat deep with no real intention of attacking Wales. Sophie Ingle was almost on to a ball in the box early on but Estonia keeper Karina Kork was out well to collect.
Wales worked down the right with Natasha Harding and Jess Fishlock linking up on multiple occasions. Rhiannon Roberts was also pushing forward and got crosses into the box.
Harding caught the whole stadium out as she kept the ball in play at the line to get a cross into the box. Her cross almost found Helen Ward at the near post.
Wales kept the pressure on and Roberts headed over and Ceri Holland saw her shot go Straight at Kork.
The pressure from the home side told after 27 minutes as a subline pass from ingle found James free in the box. James coolly passed the ball into goal to give Wales the lead.
Ceri Holland set up a header for Roberts that she put just wide.
Half time: Wales 1-0 Estonina
The second half continued as the first had with Wales providing all the attacking intent. Their fast start was rewarded with an early goal.
Roberts sent a defence splitting pass into the box which found Ward. Ward hit the ball first time and rolled it under the Estonian keeper.
James found Harding free on goal and Harding poked the ball at goal from close range. An outstretched leg of Kork was all that stopped it being three nil.
Harding wasn’t to be denied a goal for lock however as she tapped in the third. Ceri Hollands shot hit Liisa Merisalu before hitting Kork and falling for Harding to tap in.
Wales claimed for a penalty when Jess Fishlock went down in the box but the ref waved away the protest’s.
Hannah Cain forced another save from Kork when her dipping effort from the edge of the box needed to be pushed away.
Soon after Cain and Ingle saw shots blocked in quick succession and Fishlock saw her free kick go wide as Wales never dropped their tempo or attacking intent.
In added time Sophie Ingle made it four. A good passing move from the Welsh side found Ingle in the box, she moved t shot with her left and fired low into the corner.
Full Time: Wales 4-0 Estonia
Wales: Laura O’Sullivan (G) (Olivia Clark 87), Gemma Evans, Sophie Ingle (C), Rhiannon Roberts, Helen Ward (Hannah Cain 61), Angharad James, Jess Fishlock, Natasha Harding, Ceri Holland (Anna Filbey 87), Carrie Jones (Lily Woodham 77) .
Goals: Angharad James 26′ Helen Ward 48, Natasha Harding 54, Sophie Ingle 90+3
Estonia: Karina Kork (G), Maria Orav (Marie Saar 80), Liisa Merisalu, Paula Mengel (Ela-Maria Niit 59), Signy Aarna, Grete Daut, Kristina Bannikova (C), Inna Zlidnis, Sandra Liir, Vlada Kubassova, Emma Treiberg (Heleri Saar 86).
