Wales suffered last minute heartbreak out in Switzerland, as they were defeated 2-1 and miss out on a place at the World Cup.
Rhiannon Roberts had put Wales ahead before Ramona Bachmann equalled proceedings on the stroke of half time. The home side then had two goals disallowed in the second half and throughout extra time, they created chances, but Wales stood firm. That was until the 120th minute, when Fabienne Humm scored the winner to break Welsh hearts.
As many expected, the early stages of possession were dominated by the Swiss, who were more than happy knocking the ball around the back.
Wales, on the other hand, were content to sit in shape and take their chances on the break when they arose.
The first chance did fall to the Swiss on the 15-minute mark. A free kick was cleared by Wales straight to Viola Calligaris on the edge of the area, but her strike struck the outside of the post before going out of play.
But Wales scored from their first chance in the 19th minute. A corner from Angharad James wasn’t initially cleared by Switzerland, allowing Kayleigh Green to win the second ball and head it down to Rhiannon Roberts at the near post, who passed the ball in the net and put Cymru in dreamland.
After the goal the Swiss didn’t offer much in terms of chances. Their passes were sloppy and when they got into promising areas, they couldn’t find a way through a Wales defence who had been set up superbly.
But they couldn’t hold on to their lead and conceded on the stroke of half time. Full back Noelle Maritz got in behind Carrie Jones before the full back pulled her pass back to Ramona Bachmann, and she rifled her effort into the top of the net, and the sides went into half time level.
Ten minutes into the second half and we saw an astonishing moment.
Rachel Rowe, after a lengthy VAR decision, was adjudged to have handled the ball in the area and she received a yellow card for the incident.
Switzerland’s record goal scorer, Ana-Maria Crnogorčević stepped up, but could only strike the post with her initial penalty, before scoring the rebound.
As the Swiss went to celebrate, the referee indicated offside, and that the Barcelona forward had in fact had a double touch of the ball, and Wales were given a lifeline.
The penalty didn’t deter Swiss pressure, and Bachmann went close again, with her curling effort from range just missing the far corner.
Neither side tested each other for a good stretch in the second half, before Wales had a rare chance ten minutes from time.
Jess Fishlock made a good run into the box and laid the ball off to an oncoming Green, but good Swiss pressure meant her effort just sailed over the bar.
Switzerland thought they had a winner six minutes from time, as Bachmann scored and went off celebrating. But yet again, VAR came to Wales’ rescue, as in the build-up, Xhemaili was offside. This Wales goal was living a charmed life.
Switzerland once again pushed for the winner, but they couldn’t find it, and for the second time in five days, extra time was needed for Wales.
If the Swiss were going to win this game, it would come through Bachmann, and she almost put them ahead five minutes into extra time.
She embarked on a weaving run and skipped away from Welsh defenders, but her shot was well saved by Laura O’Sullivan in the end.
A raft of Swiss chances came at the end of the first period of extra time. Crnogorčević first headed wide from a Bachmann free kick, before Renast shot past the post, and there was a sense that Wales were holding on.
Still the Swiss were knocking in the final minutes of extra time. A raft of corners were blocked, and Rowe cleared one off the line, but still Wales denied them.
And just when it was looking like penalties were going to settle it, the Swiss scored the winner in the final minute. Géraldine Reuteler made good progress down the wing before sending in a low cross, which found sub Fabienne Humm, who side footed past O’Sullivan.
In the end time ran out for Wales, but this team have given the nation so much and they will continue to build on what has been a magnificent campaign, regardless of the result.
Player of the Match: Rhiannon Roberts
Roberts was great tonight. Her goal was well taken, and she managed to keep Switzerland’s record goal scorer Crnogorčević quiet for the majority of the match
Cymru
Laura O’Sullivan (GK), Rhiannon Roberts, Hayley Ladd, Gemma Evans, Rachel Rowe, Sophie Ingle ©, Angharad James, Jess Fishlock, Ceri Holland (Helen Ward, 118’), Kayleigh Green (Lily Woodham, 90’), Carrie Jones (Ffion Morgan, 69’)
Unused Subs: Liv Clark (GK), Safia Middleton-Patel (GK), Meg Wynne, Josie Green, Elise Hughes, Charlie Estocurt, Anna Filbey, Chloe Bull, Georgia Walters
Goals: Rhiannon Roberts (19’)
Yellow Cards: Rachel Rowe (55’), Lily Woodham (99’)
Switzerland
Gaëlle Thalmann (GK), Noelle Maritz, Viola Calligaris, Luana Bühler, Eseosa Aigbogun (Fabienne Humm, 106’), Lia Wälti ©, Ana-Maria Crnogorčević, Géraldine Reuteler, Ramona Bachmann (Meriame Terchoun, 113’), Coumba Sow (Riola Xhemaili, 75’), Svenja Fölmli (Rachel Rinast, 87’)
Unused Subs: Livia Peng (GK), Elvira Herzog (GK), Julia Stireli, Seraina Piubel, Laura Felber, Marion Rey, Sandrine Mauron, Nadine Riesen
Goals: Ramona Bachmann (45’), Fabienne Humm (120’)
Yellow Cards: Ramona Bachmann (85’), Rachel Rinast (117’)
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