Wales Women salvage late lifeline in Euro 2025 play-off semi-final defeat

Wales Women have been beaten 2-1 in Slovakia in the first leg of heir Euro 2025 play-off semi-final tie

Wales Women will have to come from behind if they are to keep alive their dream of qualifying for Euro 2025.

Welsh prospects looked extremely gloomy as they found themselves 2-0 down deep into the first leg match against Slovakia. But a late Ffion Morgan goal halved the deficit and gave the Welsh team a glimmer of hope for the return leg in Cardiff on Tuesday.

Slovakia were deserved winners and took the lead less than five minutes into the second half when Martina Surnovska curled in a stunning strike from outside the area. Maria Mikolajova’s classy freekick doubled the advantage close to the hour mark, with the Welsh wall at fault.

But substitute Morgan scored in the 89th minute after being setup by Jess Fishlock.

Wales captain Angharad James said: "It's disappointing. It wasn't a performance we wanted but it's half-time [in the tie].

"We've got the home leg on Tuesday and it's more important than ever so hopefully we can get a big crowd.

"There's new partnerships that take time to build but there wasn't the passion or pride we would have liked. We could have given more.

"We'll learn from it and we'll be better on Tuesday."