Wales v Bosnia World Cup Play-off Match Preview
Wales v Bosnia: Match Preview
Wales will face Bosnia in the Women's World Cup play-off semi-final at Cardiff City Stadium. A Place in the final against Switzerland will await the winners.
Neither nation has ever qualified for a major tournament and for both this play-off match will mark new territory.
Wales will have the advantage of another record crowd at Cardiff with over 14,500 tickets sold for the match. Wales set their previous record attendance in their last match when they drew with Slovenia to secure second place in their group.
Jess Fishlock missed the last two matches but will be available again giving Grainger selection issues after superb performances in the last two games from Carrie Jones and Ceri Holland. Long time Wales player Natasha Harding will play nom part after not being selected for the squad for personal reasons.
Wales will go into the match as slight favourites given their higher seeding and FIFA ranking. However, Wales manager Gemma Grainger has said that her team will not be taking their opponents lightly,
“It's a unique qualifying process so each game is a new experience, it's knock-out football with a tournament feel that we haven't experienced yet.
“The biggest mistake we can make is to underestimate Bosnia. It's a favourable draw because we're home.
“We have to set ourselves a standard, we have to know what that standard is and whatever happens we have to leave the pitch knowing we did what we wanted to.”
Wales captain Sophie Ingle has praised the Welsh fans from their last record setting crowd saying,
“It was incredible atmosphere last time in Cardiff and the crowd pushed us on which was very important to us.”
Wales have been close to qualifying before and fallen at the last hurdle, but Ingle believes the squad is in a better place heading into this match,
“The last two games weren't pretty, but it was all about getting the results.
“We would have liked to have played better football and we have reflected on that as a team.
“Nerves may have come into it having come so close in previous campaigns, but we're in a good place now as a team”.
Rachel Rowe who is likely to start for Wales and will win her 50th cap. Rowe shared her thoughts on reaching 50 caps for her country,
“It's a massive achievement but I think every cap is a big achievement.”
Rowe also spoke about how reaching the World Cup can help continue the growth of the women’s game in Wales,
“There is expectation, but we all believe in ourselves that we can achieve things.
“A few of us have been part of it when we were only getting a couple of hundred fans to what it is now.
“The trajectory has been massive. Qualifying will keep the women's game growing and have a huge impact."
