Wales hammered Croatia 4-0 at the Racecourse, as they got their European Qualifying campaign off to a flying start.
A brace from Jess Fishlock coupled with goals for Rachel Rowe and Angharad James meant it was a winning start to Rhian Wilkinson’s time as head coach.
Here’s how we rate all the Wales players who appeared in the game against the Croats.
Wales Player Ratings
Olivia Clark – 6
Clark only has a low rating because she had absolutely nothing to do! Didn’t have to make a single save, and of course managed to keep a clean sheet.
Ella Powell – 6
Really pleased that she finally was able to get a start. Thought she did really well down the flank and got at the Croatian defence. For when Wales want to get forward in games, I think Powell is a great option to have. Subbed off at half time.
Rhiannon Roberts – 6
Think it’s good that we saw her in a centre-back role rather than a wing-back one. Think she offers more as part of a back three and is able to come out of the back and offer more going forward.
Hayley Ladd – 6
We know what we get from Ladd, and we got it again tonight. Calm on the ball, was spot on from a positional standpoint, and she allowed Wales to build from the back throughout the 90 minutes.
Gemma Evans – 7
Like the other three centre-halves, a good performance from Evans. What adds to her rating is the fact she managed to get an assist! A superb pinged pass into the box which was finished wonderfully by James.
Lily Woodham – 8
Brilliant. She ran Petra Pezelj ragged in the first half, pushing her into mistake after mistake. She never stopped running, put great deliveries into the box, and was a force to be reckoned with.
“Lily isn’t always going to love being on my side in the first half, because she’s the closest player to me! She has unlimited potential and it’s up to her whether she wants to push her career on, because there’s a lot of growth left in her. Defensively is a growth area for her, it’s not her first instinct, but what you do see is a hugely influential attacking player who reads spaces well and combines well with players around her.” – Rhian Wilkinson
Sophie Ingle – 6
A solid performance that we’ve come to expect from the captain. Able to dictate the midfield, spray balls to her teammates, and was a great anchor in front of the defence. Subbed off 86th minute.
Angharad James – 7
Like her midfield partner Ingle, James was excellent. Plugged gaps, was accurate with her passes, and managed to get a rare goal!
Jess Fishlock – 9
To be quite honest, I’ve run out of ways to describe Fishlock. An incredible performance which was rubber stamped by two well taken goals. Tonight, she also overtook Gareth Bale’s scoring record, and now only Helen Ward stands in her way. Subbed off 77th minute.
“I don’t think there are enough accolades for Jess. There’s her on the field, and she showed tonight that she’s a huge player for Wales. I look at how she handles the press, the young fans who are able to meet their idol in the flesh. It’s incredible to see and you can literally watch the impact she has on the game and the country.” – Rhian Wilkinson
Elise Hughes – 6
Wasn’t able to get her goal tonight, but showed why she should be the main striker in this Wales team. Her physicality is something we’ve missed up front, and Hughes is easily able to shield the ball from defenders and bring others into play. Subbed off 65th minute.
Rachel Rowe – 8
Why did we play her at left-back for so long?! The link up play she had with fellow winger Jess Fishlock was brilliant and she showed her whole range of abilities Friday night. A superb performance from the Rangers star. Subbed off 65th minute.
“Rachel was directing traffic, she was getting frustrated in the first half because she was going back and forth, trying to get open, and it felt like we weren’t opening spaces for her. But watching her then getting into her rhythm, it’s those kind of players which are special and have helped put this Wales team on the map.” – Rhian Wilkinson
Ffion Morgan – 6
Subbed on at half time. Was able to operate as a winger and a wing-back during the game and was good at doing both roles. Good to see her getting more than ten minutes this time around.
Mary McAteer – 6
Subbed on 65th minute. Thought she looked really bright when she came on. Could have scored one but it wasn’t to be. Brilliant to see that Wilkinson wants to give younger players like McAteer a chance so early on in a campaign.
Ceri Holland – 6
Subbed on 65th minute. Another who could have scored, but the crossbar was the only thing to stop her curler from nestling in the top corner. Great to have someone of her calibre and talent to rely on off the bench.
Lois Joel – 6
Subbed on 77th minute. Never easy to establish yourself in a midfield when one so experienced has been around for years, but Joel has looked really good the last two games. One for the future for sure.
Alice Griffiths – N/A
Subbed on 86th minute. Not on the field long enough to make an impact, but great to see her get a run out for Wales.
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