Women’s World Cup Qualification Play-off Semi-Final, Second Leg
Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli
13th October 2026
After a nerve-racking evening on Friday, we got to do it all over again on a Tuesday night in Llanelli. With a slender one-goal lead going into this second leg, Cymru needed to avoid defeat to make it to the play-off final against former manager Gemma Grainger’s Norway.
Changes were made from Friday, with Albania dropping Arboiona Bajraktari, Gresa Berisha, and Sara Maliqi to make way for Klea Hamonikaj, Llarja Zarka, and Xhesika Ndoj. Cymru made just two changes, with Hannah Cain and 19-year-old Scarlett Hill making her first start, as Esther Morgan and Rachel Rowe made way.
The nervousness amongst Y Wal Goch didn’t transfer to the pitch as Rhian Wilkinson’s women started the match full of confidence. Scarlett Hill was so settled in defence it looked like she was making her 50th start, not her first. Lily Woodham, the marauding left-back, was given the freedom of the left-hand side of Parc y Scarlets as she bombed forward at every opportunity. She spent more of the match in the final third of the pitch than she did in defence.
The breakthrough came for Cymru a little after the half-hour mark when Woodham switched over to the right-hand side to take a corner that was poorly cleared back to Woodham, who delivered the ball back into the six-yard box. A mishap in the Albanian defence, with two players bumping into each other as they tried to clear off the line, sent the ball to the far post where Mayzee Davies was waiting to head the ball home from a yard.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe tie was more or less settled when, fifteen minutes later, Elise Hughes made it two. Angharad James took the ball forward in the midfield, playing a pass out left to the excellent Lily Woodham, who set Mared Griffiths free. The Manchester United winger headed into the box, taking on Klea Hamonikaj and sending in a great cross into the six-yard box where it was met by Elise Hughes, who had stormed in between two defenders to knock the ball in from close range.
Things got even better for the record-breaking Parc y Scarlets crowd when Hannah Cain made it three. Woodham and Griffiths combined again when the left-back knocked the ball to Griffiths, who performed a Hal Robson-Kanu turn. She was then brought down just inside the penalty area. The referee didn’t give a foul, but the ball rolled back to Woodham, who chipped the ball in for Hannah Cain to score.
A great team performance by Cymru, but Lily Woodham really stood out as one of Cymru’s star players. They coasted into the final against Norway with young players starting and coming off the bench, stepping up with key experienced players missing.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe first leg of the final will be at the Cardiff City Stadium on 1st December. Every member of Y Wal Goch should get tickets and send the women off with a good result and help send them to Brazil for the World Cup.