Wales Targets Albania Win in World Cup Playoff Second Leg

Wales will face Albania in the Women's World Cup play-off semi-final second leg as Rhian Wilkinson's team seeks to protect its first-leg advantage and move closer to qualification. The match is the next step in Wales' campaign to reach its first Women's World Cup.

According to BBC, Wales won the first leg in Albania 1-0 and changed its lineup for the return match, with 19-year-old Manchester United defender Scarlett Hill starting after an impressive debut from the bench. Hannah Cain also returned to the starting side.

BBC reported that captain Angharad James said the squad reviewed previous play-off experiences to help younger players understand the importance of the opportunity. Wales has reached the play-off stage for a major women's tournament for only the third time.

"We had a players' meeting on the first day just to integrate the group and to make sure everyone was aware of the importance of this camp and what it means to represent Wales and what it means to be in a play-off position. We have to give everything. It's a final game for us and every game is. [The meeting was] just to make sure everyone's up to speed." James, Wales captain, said.

James, a Seattle Reign midfielder with 146 Wales caps, has experienced both play-off success and disappointment. BBC reported that she was part of the team that lost the 2023 World Cup qualifying final and later helped Wales reach Euro 2025, the country's first women's major tournament.

"[They were] two very different feelings after both games. The feeling that we had out in Switzerland, going so close in extra time and narrowly missing out, it fuelled us for Dublin. There's a big group of us that experienced that and at the start of this camp we made sure the whole group was aware of how it feels to be on both ends of that." James, Wales captain, said.

Gemma Evans was also involved in those key matches against Switzerland and the Republic of Ireland. BBC reported that James referenced Evans losing a tooth during the Aviva Stadium victory as one of the memorable moments shown to the squad.

"[The highs of that] included Gemma losing a tooth and unfortunately it made it on to the big screen, we showed the girls that. We've had so many high moments with this group and hopefully we've got the biggest one yet to come with the World Cup." James, Wales captain, said.

Wales must first overcome Albania before potentially facing a play-off final in early December, with Norway expected as a possible opponent. BBC reported that further inter-confederation play-offs may still be required in February before a World Cup place is secured.

"If we overthink that we have a 1-0 advantage then I don't think it's a good thing as players. So we're focusing on it being a new 90-minute game. It's a clean sheet and we're going out there to perform and to win again." James, Wales captain, said.

BBC reported that Wilkinson changed Wales' system for the second leg by moving away from three central defenders, with Hill expected to operate on the right side of a back four. Wales' squad includes several young players competing for a place in the country's first Women's World Cup.