Wales suffered a heavy 5-1 Ladies’s Nations League defeat by Denmark as Pernille Tougher struck a Cardiff hat-trick.
Bayern Munich striker Tougher, as soon as the world’s costliest feminine participant after shifting from Wolfsburg to Chelsea in 2020, left Wales with a mountain to climb after scoring twice contained in the opening 11 minutes.
Though Jess Fishlock gave Wales hope with a surprising second-half strike, Frederikke Thogersen and Sanne Troelsgaard settled Denmark nerves and Tougher accomplished her treble to inflict the heaviest defeat of Gemma Grainger’s reign as Wales supervisor.
Wales have been looking for to recuperate from an opening-day Nations League loss in Iceland, whereas Denmark – who reached the last16 of the Ladies’s World Cup final month – had travelled with confidence after upsetting Group A3 high seeds Germany on Friday.
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Former Chelsea ahead Pernille Tougher (proper) scored a hat-trick for the Danes
The 2 sides had beforehand met in April 2021, a 1-1 pleasant draw on the Cardiff Metropolis Stadium in what was Grainger’s second recreation in cost.
Grainger named seven of the workforce that began towards Denmark that night time, with Rachel Rowe changing Kayleigh Inexperienced in the one change from the defeat in Reykjavik.
Rowe’s introduction was designed to ignite a Wales assault that had stuttered during the last 12 months or so: Grainger’s facet scoring a couple of purpose in a recreation simply as soon as in 13 outings – April’s 4-1 pleasant win over Northern Eire.
Wales fell foul of Stephanie Frappart, the primary feminine official to take of a males’s World Cup recreation, when Rowe was penalised inside 5 seconds and it was to show an ominous signal as Denmark seized immediate management.
Ceri Holland’s failure to clear a Denmark nook led to Rhiannon Roberts felling Amalie Vangsgaard, and Tougher comfortably transformed the sixth-minute penalty by sending Olivia Clark the flawed manner.
Denmark doubled their benefit when Inter Milan midfielder Thogersen crossed from the proper and Tougher unerringly completed from 10 yards.
Welsh frustration continued as Roberts was wild with the hosts’ first try on track and Fishlock was booked for tripping Sofie Svava.
Tougher handed up the possibility of a first-half hat-trick by sending a gilt-edged alternative huge earlier than Holland fired into the facet netting on the stroke of half-time.
Wales had not managed a shot on track all through the primary half, however that individual wait was to finish in spectacular trend after 51 minutes.
Fishlock and Inexperienced, despatched on at half-time for Rowe, mixed to seek out Carrie Jones in house.
Jones slipped the ball by means of the legs of Sofie Pedersen and Fishlock delivered a rasping 20-yard strike for her thirty seventh Wales purpose.
Fishlock’s animated celebration was replicated by Grainger within the technical space, however Denmark rapidly restored their two-goal cushion on the hour.
Svava crossed from the left and Thogersen had the easy job of prodding the ball dwelling from a number of yards out.
Substitute Troelsgaard added a fourth with a diving header three minutes from time earlier than Tougher took possession of the match ball, latching onto a unfastened ball after Signe Bruun’s effort had come again off the crossbar.
So Wales stay pointless and backside of their part and it doesn’t get any simpler for them with away assessments in Germany and Denmark subsequent month.
Republic of Eire spectacular in Hungary win underneath interim boss Gleeson
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Kyra Carusa scored Eire’s third purpose in Budapest
The Republic of Eire continued to impress underneath interim supervisor Eileen Gleeson as they brushed Hungary apart 4-0 of their second Ladies’s Nations League match in Budapest.
Targets from Caitlin Hayes, Katie McCabe, Kyra Carusa and Denise O’Sullivan proved sufficient for the guests to construct on their historic 3-0 win over Northern Eire on the weekend.
It was one other very good show underneath Gleeson, who had however appeared to rule herself out of the operating to interchange former boss Vera Pauw within the pre-match build-up.
The Republic began effectively in what appeared to be their hardest Group B check, a Heather Payne cross clipping the highest of the bar earlier than each Payne once more and Carusa had possibilities.
Hayes, making her second begin, opened the scoring within the 18th minute when she transformed an excellent cross from McCabe by nodding dwelling from shut vary.
Arsenal star McCabe continued to impress and she or he doubled the Irish benefit in type 4 minutes earlier than the interval, when she pounced on a half-cleared effort by whipping the ball dwelling from 25 yards.
Gleeson’s facet continued to dominate after the interval with Carusa heading dwelling a high quality cross from Payne to make it 3-0 after 49 minutes.
Carusa got here shut once more then it was Hayes’ flip to strike the highest of the bar earlier than Carusa turned the ball again for O’Sullivan to fireplace into the underside nook with 70 minutes gone.
Irish ‘keeper Courtney Brosnan was known as into motion twice within the final 20 minutes however maintained her clear sheet as Gleeson’s facet cruised dwelling to a second consecutive spectacular win.
Northern Eire edge Albania to document first win
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Lauren Wade (left) scored Northern Eire’s winner
Captain Lauren Wade hit the one purpose of the sport as Northern Eire beat Albania to document their first win within the Ladies’s Nations League.
Having misplaced to the Republic of Eire of their League B Group 1 opener, Wade struck on the event of her fiftieth cap to safe a 1-0 victory at Seaview.
Studying winger Wade was readily available to show dwelling from shut vary on 57 minutes after Albania goalkeeper Viona Rexhepi had pushed away a Nadene Caldwell effort.
The house facet dominated all through the competition and racked up 21 photographs to only the 4 mustered up by Albania, the slender win now leaving Tanya Oxtoby’s facet second within the group after two video games.