Jess Fishlock is in contention to play in what is being billed as Wales Women’s biggest game in their history, manager Gemma Grainger has revealed.
The talismanic midfielder was surprisingly absent from Wales’ starting XI in the team’s penultimate Group I World Cup qualifier away to Greece on Friday due to a knock. Wales sealed a 1-0 victory with a first international goal from 19-year-old starlet Carrie Jones, setting up an historic night at Cardiff City Stadium in a winner-takes-all finale against Slovenia this evening (Tuesday, September 6, 7.45pm kick-off). The match is being broadcast live on BBC One Wales and iPlayer, while you'll also be available to follow live updates via WalesOnline from Tuesday evening.
While Grainger admitted that Friday’s triumph demonstrated a crucial ability to adapt under pressure, she is hopeful that Wales' most-capped player and first centurion will play a role against Slovenia in front of a record crowd of more than 12,000.
“We hope that Jess can be involved, or have some involvement, that’s the plan,” Grainger said. “If not, we learned on Friday, we have to prepare to be adaptable and we can be adaptable, so whoever is available will do the job.”
Grainger and Co. require only a draw to secure a historic World Cup play-off berth, and Grainger admitted that, despite her and her squad’s commitment to downplaying the hype, every player will want to play their part with a record-breaking home crowd in attendance, with ticket sales more than doubling the previous record of 5,445 11 months ago.
“You know Jess,” Grainger said. “She’ll do everything she can, and that’s the most important thing. The medical team is doing everything they can to make sure every player is in the best position. We know this is game 10. We know it’s our last World Cup qualification game. We want to perform like we have in all the others. The mindset and the preparation is all the same, so not too much focus on the individuals, more on the team.”
Wales Women have been on the precipice of major tournament qualification before and have become excruciatingly familiar with the heartbreak which comes with falling short at the final hurdle, a fresh reminder arriving in this summer’s European Championship. A positive result against Slovenia would place Wales within touching distance of reaching that elusive major tournament goal, though Grainger insisted the game-plan is nothing short of a win.
Wales saw out a gritty 1-1 draw away to Slovenia in October after going a woman down with more than 20 minutes remaining after striker Kayleigh Green was shown a second yellow, but Grainger insists the current team is not the same as the one from last year.
“We are prepared to win the game, we wouldn’t have any other approach to it,” Grainger said. “We don’t want a point in a game, we want to play to win the game. Because it’s not about Slovenia. I will be happy if we win but I’m not going to be incredibly happy until we get our goal and I know this team can fulfil their potential.”
Doing so in front of a record crowd adds to the excitement, Grainger said. The 12,000-plus tickets sold destroys the previous record of 5,445 set against Estonia last autumn, and Grainger has implored fans to play their part and create as “intimidating” an atmosphere as possible to replicate the one which spurred Rob Page's Wales team on in their respective World Cup play-offs.
“I’ve said from the start, I want Slovenia to feel like they are away from home,” Grainger said. “I want them to walk into the stadium and feel the same way it does with the men’s national team because it is an incredible feeling.
“I felt that earlier when I was watching the Ukraine team come out, I watched them during the anthem. I think particularly during the anthem you saw [Ukraine] looking around the stadium and when the opposition team is looking around the stadium during the anthem, you know the feeling, it’s loud.
“The team know why they’re doing what they do and the crowd, that’s the emotional part for us, if we can inspire everyone in that stadium and let them know that everything is possible. I know the team will do everything possible to get the result.”
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