Manager Jayne Ludlow has welcomed back Natasha Harding from injury ahead of Wales’ friendly against Estonia in Wrexham next week and is confident record cap-holder Jess Fishlock will be fit in time for key Euro 2021 qualifiers in April.
Reading’s Harding returns for the friendly on Friday, 6 March, at the Racecourse after missing November’s 0-0 Euro 2021 draw with Northern Ireland, while midfielder Fishlock has missed the opening four games of the campaign.
Fishlock is currently undergoing rehab after knee surgery but should be fit for the Euro 2021 Group C qualifiers against the Faroe Islands and Norway.
The Reign FC star suffered a torn ligament in July 2019 but last week posted a video of herself in pre-season training in the US on social media ahead of a potential return to action.
“She’s doing well, there’s no issue there,” said Ludlow, who is confident Fishlock’s experience will make up for her lack of game time when Wales host the Faroes on 10 April and Norway four days later.
Six under-20 players are included in the squad to play Estonia with Ludlow saying: “I’m really keen to see how they perform and cope in the environment mixed with senior players. Obviously we want to try and get a result against Estonia but more importantly we need to practise the things that will be important for us come the April fixtures.”
Uncapped Cardiff City Ladies defender Maria Francis-Jones is the youngest player in the squad at 16.
Estonia are managed by Ludlow’s predecessor Jarmo Matikainen, who was Wales boss from 2010-14. The countries have met three times, with Wales winning twice and the other game ending in a draw.
Wales Squad To Play Estonia
Laura O’Sullivan (Cardiff City), Claire Skinner (Cardiff City), Olivia Clark(Huddersfield Town), Sophie Ingle (Chelsea), Hayley Ladd (Manchester United), Loren Dykes (Bristol City), Lily Woodham (Charlton Athletic, on loan from Reading), Rhiannon Roberts (Liverpool), Anna Filbey (Tottenham Hotspur), Angharad James (Reading), Jasmine Turner (Cardiff City), Josie Green (Tottenham Hotspur), Nadia Lawrence (Cardiff City), Georgia Walters (Blackburn Rovers), Rachel Rowe (Reading), Natasha Harding (Reading), Megan Wynne (Bristol City, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur), Chloe Williams (Manchester United), Helen Ward (Watford), Kayleigh Green (Brighton), Grace Horrell (Cardiff City), Maria Francis-Jones (Cardiff City), Ffion Morgan (Coventry United), Charlie Estcourt (Charlton Athletic, on loan from Reading)
Euro 2021 Group C Qualifiers
29 August 2019: Faroe Islands 0 Wales 6
3 September: Wales 2 Northern Ireland 2
8 October: Belarus 0 Wales 1
12 November: Northern Ireland 0 Wales 0
10 April 2020: Wales v Faroe Islands
14 April: Wales v Norway
9 June: Wales v Belarus
22 September: Norway v Wales
Everything you need to know about Euro 2021
