Wales can turn Slovakia play-off around - Morgan

Date: 2024-10-27

Wales can turn Slovakia play-off around - Morgan

Media caption,

Highlights: Slovakia beat Wales in first leg of Euro 2025 play-off semi-final

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Euro 2025 Qualifying Round One play-off second leg: Wales v Slovakia

Venue: Cardiff City Stadium Date: Tuesday, 29 October Kick-off: 19:15 GMT

Coverage: Live on BBC One Wales, iPlayer, BBC Radio Wales and Radio Cymru, the BBC Sport website and app, plus live text commentary. Highlights S4C and later on demand.

Goalscorer Ffion Morgan says her late strike in Slovakia has given Wales belief that they can turn the tide in their Euro 2025 play-off semi-final.

Wales’ bid to reach a first major tournament was dented by a poor performance in the first leg in Slovakia on Friday.

Wales found themselves trailing 2-0 – a score that if anything flattered Rhian Wilkinson’s side - to a nation ranked 22 places below them before substitute Morgan’s 89th-minute goal in Poprad.

Though Wales lost the game 2-1, Morgan believes they can take momentum into Tuesday's second leg.

Wales meet Slovakia at the Cardiff City Stadium hoping that a home tie with a big crowd can see them overturn the deficit and progress to the final, likely to be against Republic of Ireland who hammered Georgia 6-0 in their play-off first leg.

“We are lucky that we’ve got Tuesday to put it right,” Morgan told BBC Sport Wales.

"We definitely believe the goal can give us some momentum - 2-1 compared to 2-0 is a big difference and it could be a very important goal.

"I am glad to have been the one to put it away and hopefully we can put a few more away in Cardiff on Tuesday.”

Morgan said Wales’ players were frustrated with a performance that Wilkinson described as the “worst” in her time as Wales boss.

“It’s obviously disappointing for us as a team, we felt prepared coming in and we didn’t get the result that we wanted,” she said.

“Slovakia were aggressive and we knew they were. Maybe we didn’t react to what they were doing and challenge them enough and compete at their level.

“We will review the game, watch it individually and show where we need to be better and hopefully we can put it right on Tuesday, which I know that we can.”

Image source, FAW
Image caption,

Ffion Morgan's late goal came via an assist from fellow substitute Jess Fishlock

With no away goals rule in these play-offs, Morgan says Wales will look to get on the front foot from the outset as they do battle once more with Slovakia.

“We need to start on Tuesday as we finished the game in Slovakia and be better and we know we can do that," said the Bristol City winger.

“Being in Cardiff, we’ve sold a lot of tickets and hopefully that can help to drive us to get the result we want and need.”

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