Ross targets top spot ahead of World Cup tests

Mia Ross says the squad are fully focused on finishing top of their 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying group, as they prepare for decisive fixtures against Montenegro and Czechia this week.

Cymru travel to Montenegro on Friday 5 June (KO 17:00 UK) before hosting Czechia in Cardiff on Tuesday 9 June (KO 18:00), with Group B1 still finely poised. Czechia lead on the same points as Cymru but hold a two-goal advantage heading into the final two matches.

“We’re hoping to obviously top the group,” she said. “To win both games is our target yet again. We know they’re going to be very tough tests, both of them.

“I feel like you can’t underestimate either opposition. I think they’re both very different teams, they play very different types of football. The first time we played against Czechia, it was a really tough game, but we’re hoping to top the group and have some good performances as well.

“The opening game against Montenegro was great. There was a lot of goals scored, which is always positive. I think, especially in qualifiers, you need to try and get as many goals as you can because, as you can see with our group, it could potentially come down to goal difference.

“That game is obviously put to bed now. We have to focus on playing them next. They’ve had some really positive play against Czechia. They obviously played them twice, and they did really well.”

Cymru head into the double-header in strong form after taking maximum points from their previous fixtures against Albania. Before that, they also recorded a convincing win over Montenegro as well as earning a solid away point against top seeds Czechia earlier in the campaign.

Ross has emphasised the importance of maintaining focus and consistency across both remaining fixtures.

“We take one game at a time which is probably the priority at the minute, making sure that we have a good performance against Montenegro,” she admitted.

“We want to come out with a really solid performance to build momentum going into that Czech game. Both of them are just going to be just as tough as one another.

“I think they’ll both definitely come out and cause us problems in both games, but I think playing Czechia is a great last game to end on and Montenegro is a great one to start with.

“Both of them will pose definitely different challenges, and we’re definitely ready for it.”

Head coach Rhian Wilkinson recently signed a new two-year contract extension last month, keeping her in charge through the 2027 UEFA Women’s Nations League campaign and the UEFA Women’s EURO 2029 cycle.

Appointed in February 2024, Wilkinson guided Cymru to their first-ever major women’s tournament qualification with UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 secured during her debut year in charge.

Ross praised the impact of Wilkinson and believes the head coach will continue to drive standards forward within the squad.

“I think she’s been great since she’s come in,” added Ross, who was given her senior debut by Wilkinson last year.

“Obviously she came in a period where I wasn’t here, but a lot of the girls always speak so highly of her.

“She took the girls to the Euros. Obviously we didn’t get the results we wanted but I think that we just keep progressing and progressing, and I think she’s the person and the type of manager to keep us pushing forwards 100%.”