Embed from Getty Images

Wales Can Stay At Top Level Says Gemma Grainger, Despite Demolition By The Danes

Posted on

s4c

By Hannah Blackwell

Gemma Grainger has insisted Wales can still stay in the top tier of the Nations League despite suffering her biggest defeat as manager in front of her own fans.

The Wales boss was left looking for crumbs of comfort after her team were demolished, 5-1, by a slick Denmark side at the Cardiff City Stadium.

The result leaves Wales bottom of Group A3 with no points and six goals against, having scored just once.

That was a typically sharp strike from Jess Fishlock, a reminder of her enduring quality but also a pointer to the fact that the veteran striker has no younger challenger in the squad who looks remotely capable of replacing the 36-year-old when she calls it a day.

That must be the concern for Grainger – that despite the advances the team have made since she took charge, there are few players who seem capable of decisive moments in big matches.

Players such as Danish star Pernille Harder, who scored twice in a dominant opening period for the visitors and went on the complete a comfortable hat-trick.

“We’re not a top-12 team but we’ve got to stay focused on taking everything out of our games,” said Grainger.

“I want our performances to get better and we know what we need to stay in League A. We know what we need to finish in third place and I’m very focused on that and performing in every game.”

Denmark stand three points clear after following up their victory against Germany with a win that hardly stretched them.

Harder had two goals in the first 11 minutes, first from the penalty spot after Rhiannon Roberts fouled Amalie Vangsgaard, and then tapping in a Frederikke Thogersen centre.

Fishlock gave Wales hope with a thumping finish early in the second half.

But Thogersen then turned in a Sofie Svava cross and late on substitute Sanne Troelsgaard headed home before Harder completed her hat-trick, pouncing on the rebound when Signe Bruun hit the bar.

“We are in League A and I want to be in League A,” Grainger added.

“I don’t want us to lose but I want to have these nights because ultimately these are the nights that are going to create conversation and stretch us.

“These are the nights that are going to take us closer to where we want to be.

“The level we want to play at, our players need to feel that level consistently and that’s what these games are going to bring us.”

s4c

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *