by Jack Cook
Euro 2022 qualifiers: Wales v Belarus
Date: Tuesday, December 1, 2022
Kick Off: 19:10
Venue: Rodney Parade, Newport
WALES defeated Belarus in their final Euro 2022 qualifier but failed to claim a play-off spot after other results not going their way.
Wales comfortably beat Belarus 3-0, but the win wasn’t enough as they had to rely on Northern Ireland dropping points against the Faroe Island, but they won 5-1 and claimed the final play-off spot.
Wales opened the scoring thanks to good work from Jess Fishlock who picked out a free Natasha Harding in the box who passed the ball into the Belarus net.
Wales then hit the post later on after good work from Fishlock again down the wing who put in a delightful lobbed cross for Ffion Morgan who headed it onto the post.
Wales doubled their lead thanks to an incredible strike from forward Rachel Rowe which left the keeper rooted to the spot as she watched the ball fly into the corner of the net.
Belarus first big chance of the game came in the second half after the Belarus captain Anastasiya Scherbacheina smashed the crossbar from a free kick at the edge of the box while Belarus’s effort from the ball rebounding off the crossbar was failed to be turned in by a Belarus player.
Wales added their third from the spot as Natasha Harding was brought down in the box and veteran Jess Fishlock slotted the penalty home nicely.
Star player: Jess Fishlock
Key incidents:
15’ Goal for Natasha Harding (Wales)
34’ Goal for Rachel Rowe (Wales)
71’ Yellow Card for Anastasiya Linnik (Belarus)
72’ Goal for Jess Fishlock (Wales)
Wales – Laura O’Sullivan, Rhiannon Roberts, Hayley Ladd, Josie Green, Charlie Estcourt (Lily Woodham 70), Ffion Morgan (Georgia Walters 79), Sophie Ingle (C), Angharad James, Natasha Harding (Gemma Evans 87), Jess Fishlock (Nadia Lawrence 87), Rachel Rowe (Kayleigh Green 87)
Substitutes – Claire Skinner, Poppy Soper, Gemma Evans, Helen Ward, Kayleigh Green, Elise Hughes, Nadia Lawrence, Kylie Nolan, Lily Woodham, Carrie Jones, Georgia Walters, Chloe Williams
Belarus – Nataliya Voskobovich, Anastasiya Linnik (Anna Sas 87), Anastasiya Scherbacheina (C) (Anastasiya Kharlanova 87), Anastasiya Novikova, Viktoria Kazakevich, Anna Kozyupa, Karina Olkhovik (Tatyana Kransova 21), Anastasiya Shuppo (Milana Surovtseva 72), Valeyriya Bohdan, Kseniya Kubichnaya (Anastasiya Shlapakova 45), Anna Pilipenko
Substitutes – Ekaterina Miklashevich, Ekaterina Kovalchuk, Anastasiya Shlapakova, Anna Sas, Anastasiya Pobegaylo, Milana Surovtseva, Anastasiya Kharlanova, Tatyana Kransova, Vita Nikolaenko, Valeria Karachun
