With Wales’ Euro 2017 fate already sealed, Jayne Ludlow has opted to call up a handful of less experienced players who could feature more in the future.
Race already run
Having already suffered losses to Austria and Norway, two wins over Kazakhstan and a draw away to Israel have been for naught as Wales have already been eliminated from qualification and will not be competing in the Netherlands next year. With the Dragons slowly improving throughout qualifying, Ludlow has only looked at the positives to have come out of the whole process and is keen to end on a high note.
With their last two games both set to take place at Rodney Parade in Newport, Wales will look to go one better against bottom-placed Israel, having been held to a 2-2 draw in Ramat Gan. The Dragons will wrap up qualifying against Austria, Das Team have taken the group by storm and have already guaranteed themselves a play-off place but will have every confidence of besting Wales for automatic qualification.
With nothing to lose, Ludlow should have no problem playing around and experimenting with her line-up, handing apps to less experienced players to get them used to the rigors of senior international football. Many can also expect to see players in more unfamiliar positions, attackers further back or midfielders higher up as Ludlow looks to get the very best out of the XI on the pitch.
Full squad
Goalkeepers: Laura O’Sullivan (Cardiff City), Claire Skinner (Cyncoed).
Defenders: Loren Dykes (Bristol City), Rhiannon Roberts (Doncaster Belles), Kayleigh Green (Yeovil Town), Hayley Ladd (Bristol City), Kylie Davies (Reading), Gemma Evans (Cardiff City), Hannah Miles (Cardiff City).
Midfielders: Jess Fishlock (Seattle Reign), Rachel Rowe (Reading), Sophie Ingle (Liverpool), Angharad James (Notts County).
Attackers: Natasha Harding (Liverpool), Charlie Estcourt (Bristol City – on loan from Reading), Nadia Lawrence (Yeovil Town), Melissa Fletcher (Reading), Helen Ward (Reading), Chloe Chivers (Cardiff City), Bronwen Thomas (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Wales face Israel at 7pm on 15 September and Austria at 7pm on 20 September. Both ties will be played at Rodney Parade.