Green bags a double as Wales get off to flying start
WALES Women got their World Cup qualification bid off to a rampant start as Kayleigh Green’s brace inspired a 6-0 victory over Group I rivals Kazakhstan at Parc y Scarlets.
Gemma Grainger’s first competitive game in the hot seat was a thoroughly comfortable one as her side ran riot in Llanelli.
Kayleigh Green handed the hosts a deserved lead on 17 minutes, turning on the edge of the area before driving an effort into the top corner.
Tash Harding then doubled the advantage on half an hour courtesy of a lovely counter-attacking move, with Green once again at the forefront.
The Brighton striker was on hand to play in Sophie Ingle, who then fed the Reading forward inside the box, and she was able to take a touch before firing home.
Wales weren’t finished, with the impressive Rachel Rowe hammering home a stunner from 30 yards just after half-time, before turning provider 20 minutes from time, teeing up Green to head home for her second of the evening.
There was still time for Rowe to have her say once again, firing in a corner that was wonderfully met by the head of Gemma Evans at
the beginning of injury time, before Ceri Holland popped up with a header of her own just a couple of minutes later to add further gloss to a thoroughly satisfying evening.
The margin of the victory could prove important in terms of goal difference, with group favourites France flexing their muscles with a stunning 10-0 win over Greece earlier in the day.
“This is one game – it’s one game of 10,” said boss Grainger.
“It’s a long campaign, but for tonight we can definitely enjoy this one.
“We’ll celebrate with a cup of tea and then go and get some sleep, it will be that kind of celebration.”
It was a first win for Grainger in her fourth game since succeeding Jayne Ludlow.
“I feel like we have set a standard, our standard,” she added.
“One of the things we want to do is keep delivering to our standards in every single game.
“I think we have started that tonight. We want to keep learning, keep getting better.
“We want to enjoy tonight, but we are also going to make sure that we’re very focused on trying to make sure it’s even better.”