Rhian Wilkinson's Wales scraped to a 1-0 victory in their Women's World Cup play-off semi-final against Albania in Shkoder. An own goal by Ezmiralda Franja in the first half gave Wales the advantage ahead of the second leg at Parc y Scarlets on October 13. Despite holding a 37-place Fifa ranking advantage, Wales were fortunate to triumph, with Albania creating the better chances.
Wilkinson praised his team's resilience, stating they learned to win on hard days. Albania's failure to convert their opportunities meant Wales claimed a positive result despite a frustrating performance. Wilkinson noted his side never quit, though he admitted defensive standards were not optimal.
Wales thumped Albania 4-0 in Wrexham during group stages, and will look to dominate at home. Should they progress, they likely face Norway after Gemma Grainger's team won in Romania. Wilkinson is confident his side will fight, expecting Albania to go for it in the return leg.
Source: BBC Sport Football · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing