Kayleigh Green scored twice as Wales kickstarted their World Cup qualification campaign with a convincing 6-0 victory over Kazakhstan at Parc y Scarlets.
The Brighton forward opened the scoring on 17 minutes with a fantastic effort before Natasha Harding added a second with an equally goof finish.
Wales’ third from Rachel Rowe who fired into the top corner from 30 yards out.
Green added a second in the second half before Gemma Evans and Ceri Holland scored their first Wales goals in injury time.
It was a dominant performance from Gemma Grainger’s side in her first competitive game in charge.
Wales had two chances to take the lead in the opening minute as Ceri Holland was afforded too much space on the left to deliver crosses.
Both Kayleigh Green and Natasha Harding were unable to turn the Liverpool attackers’ deliveries into the back of the net.
Wales’ onslaught continued as Jess Fishlock, Green, and Harding all went close to opening the scoring at Parc y Scarlets.
Gemma Evans went the closes with a headed effort from a corner which looked to have gone in but for a fine stop by Irina Saratovtseva.
Their dominance finally showed when they took the lead on 17 minutes thanks to a fantastic strike by Green from the edge of the area.
She fired into the top corner, leaving Saratovtseva no chance, to open her account in this campaign.
After taking the lead the hosts continued to dominate as Kazakhstan deployed every player behind the ball.
Vice-captain Harding doubled their lead on the half-hour mark with another excellent effort into the top corner.
Angharad James was pivotal in the build-up play as she switched the ball to Sophie Ingle who eventually set up Harding.
Wales’ dominance showed no signs of stopping in the second half as they continued their onslaught on the Kazakhstan goal.
For all their well-created chances their third goal came from a moment of magic from Rachel Rowe.
The Reading midfielder picked the ball up 30 yards from goal before releasing a strike straight into the top corner.
Kayleigh Green got her second of the evening when she headed a Rowe cross home from close range.
Following Wales’ fourth Grainger made two quick changes as Carrie Jones and Helen Ward replaced James and Green.
Jones almost made an immediate impact, her effort from the edge of the area looked to be destined for the top corner before a Kazakhstan head denied it on its course.
Gemma Evans grabbed her first international goal in injury time when she headed in a Rowe cross.
Ceri Holland also joined in on the goalscoring action, heading in from close range in the 92nd minute to score her first goal for Wales.
Wales Line Up
Laura O’Sullivan, Rhiannon Roberts (Esther Morgan, 86), Gemma Evans, Hayley Ladd, Rachel Rowe, Angharad James (Carrie Jones, 72), Sophie Ingle (C), Jess Fishlock, Natasha Harding (Megan Wynne, 86), Ceri Holland, Kayleigh Green (Helen Ward, 73)
Goals: Kayleigh Green 17’, 71’, Natasha Harding 30’, Rachel Rowe 54’, Gemma Evans 90+1, Ceri Holland 90+3’
Yellow Cards: Gemma Evans 63’
Kazakhstan Line Up
Irina Saratoseva, Aigerim Aitymova, Mariya Demidova (Asselkhan Turlybekova, 84), Madina Zhanatayeva, Bibigul Nurusheva, Svetlana Bortnikova (Karina Zhumabikyzy, 68), Yulia Myasnikova (C), Fatima Satygalieyva, (Kundyz Kozhakmet 45+3), Alexandra Burova (Aisha Sadykova, 84), Ksenia Khariulina (Begaim Kirgizbaeva, 46), Anastassiya Vlassova
(Featured Image: Lewis Mitchell)
Leave a Reply