By Adam Evans
FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifiers (group I)
Date: Tuesday October 26, 2021
Kick-off: 19:15
Venue: Cardiff City Stadium
WALES continued their impressive form in FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying with a commanding victory over Estonia.
The home side took a one goal advantage into the break after Angharad James found the far corner with ease.
Wales continued to dominate in the second half and added a further three goals with Helen Ward, Natasha Harding and Sophie Ingle getting on the scoresheet.
Elsewhere in Group I, leaders France hammered Kazakhstan and Slovenia kept the pressure on Wales in second place with an emphatic win over Greece.
Wales showed signs of threat in the early stages after Ingle’s effort from inside the area forced a nervy save from Karina Kork.
Soon after, Harding’s low cross into the box was nearly poked home by Wales’ record goalscorer Ward, but despite stretching for it she was unable to get the vital touch.
Ingle had another opportunity to break the deadlock and made it difficult for Kork to deal with a fizzing from outside the penalty area.
Harding was getting plenty of joy on the right wing, and she came agonisingly close to converting that into a goal, but she dragged her shot wide of the far post.
FT | 🏴 4-0 🇪🇪
That's a wrap!
A superb victory for this special group of players. #BeFootball | #TogetherStronger pic.twitter.com/UNFrwLsQgE
— Wales 🏴 (@Cymru) October 26, 2021
The Estonia defence had to give way at some point and with 28 minutes on the clock, Ingle led by example and slid a pass through to James, who stroked the ball into the far corner.
Carrie Jones was inches away from doubling the deficit, but she was unable to get a strong enough connection on Harding’s cross to the far post.
Wales began the second half as they left off and doubled their lead moments after the restart.
Rhiannon Roberts threaded the ball in behind the Estonia backline to Ward who beat the goalkeeper with a first-time finish at the near post.
The three points were sealed for Wales with just 54 minutes on the clock. Ceri Holland picked out Harding who turned the ball home on the rebound after her initial volley was saved by Kork.
Wales showed no signs of taking the foot off the gas and created a flurry of chances.
Hannah Cain, who made her Wales debut, nearly made it an even more special night after she struck a sweet volley on the edge of the box, but Kork was able to prevent further damage for the visitors.
Ingle put the icing on the cake in stoppage-time after she remained composed in the box to take on Inna Zlidnis and placed the ball into the bottom corner with ease.
Star Player: Sophie Ingle
Wales: Laura O’Sullivan (Olivia Clark 87’), Rhiannon Roberts, Hayley Ladd, Gemma Evans, Ceri Holland (Anna Filbey 87’), Sophie Ingle (C), Angharad James, Jessica Fishlock, Natasha Harding, Carie Jones (Lily Woodham 76’), Helen Ward (Hannah Cain 61’)
Subs not used: Poppy Soper, Josephine Green, Georgia Walters, Elise Hughes, Charlotte Estcourt, Esther Morgan, Megan Wynne, Ffion Morgan
Estonia: Karina Kork, Maria Orav (Marie Saar 80’), Liisa Merisalu, Paula Maria Mengel (Eva-Maria Niit 59’), Signey Aarna, Grete Daut, Kristina Bannikova (C), Inna Zlidnis, Sandra Liir, Vlada Kubassova, Emma Treiberg (Heleri Saar 85’)
Subs not used: Getriin Strigin, Katrin Piirimaa, Ave-Lii Laas, Gerli Israel, Marie Kikkas, Renate-Ly Mehevets, Eva-Maria Kriisa, Rahel Repkin
