Head coach Rhian Wilkinson insists there will be no complacency from Cymru as they prepare to host Montenegro in their first home qualifier of the FIFA Women’s World Cup campaign.
Cymru are set to make their first return to Parc y Scarlets since July 2024 on Saturday, aiming to build on a promising start to their qualifying journey.
Their opening fixture saw Cymru battle to a 2-2 draw away to Czech Republic at Uherské Hradiště in midweek, with substitute Elise Hughes heading in a late stoppage-time goal to secure a crucial point. With the campaign now underway, Wilkinson is looking forward to returning the team in front of the Red Wall in west Wales.
“We’re very excited for our first home game of the campaign,” she said. “To be playing in west Wales, I like that we get to go around the country and showcase this amazing group of women across Wales. They represent every corner of it.
“We’re all clear that we’re on a journey to improve, to get better, to challenge top nations and to be more consistent in delivering that standard. “I think the last three games against opponents ranked ahead of us, we haven’t lost, so let’s go for it.”
Cymru fell behind after just 16 minutes on Tuesday evening when Eva Bartoňová found the net before Hannah Cain struck back before half-time, scoring her second goal in as many games to bring the scores level. But Czechia regained the lead soon after the breakthrough Jana Žufanková, leaving Cymru with plenty of work to do. Their persistence paid off when Hughes powered home a header from Gemma Evans’s cross, marking her fifth goal for Cymru and earning a vital point that could prove crucial in the battle for top spot in Group B.
And Wilkinson believes the result in Czechia still represents a positive start, particularly given the strength of the opposition.
“Tuesday was a good point. We prepare for every scenario when we play away, and a point against a higher-ranked team is something we take,” she reflected. “I’d like to publicly highlight the finishers – the players who don’t start. I think everyone puts a lot of attention on who starts, but that’s historical. “The players who came on finished the game. They did exactly what I’d asked of them – to show up, deliver and change the game for us.
“I’ve said before that the performance wasn’t bad at all. Getting a point away against a team ranked above us is positive, but I have expectations for how we play and there were areas where we could have done better. Now we have another opportunity to fix that.”
Montenegro arrive to Llanelli in high spirits having secured promotion to League B after an unbeaten run in their previous campaign. They began the qualifying phase with a narrow 2-1 defeat to Albania in midweek.
Cymru head into Saturday’s match as strong favourites, aided by their higher world ranking and the momentum gained from securing qualification for EURO 2025. Despite the gap, Wilkinson has dismissed any suggestion that her side will underestimate the visitors.
“They had a very close game the other night,” Wilkinson said. “They’re a battling team with a fairly consistent starting eleven that play with extreme pride. They attack very well and are especially dangerous from set pieces.
“I believe the team is ready for a real battle and we’re not overlooking them at all. “Inside the camp there is no mention of complacency. Outside, people often look at world rankings and use them as a measure.
“Every game is 90 minutes and that’s where you get upsets. That’s where you get a team that doesn’t show up and a team that has luck or whatever it is. “We’ve got 90 minutes to show our fans a new performance and hopefully an improved one from the other night.”
Cymru v Montenegro
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