Wales star Elise Hughes keeps World Cup hopes on hold until Albania leg

Wales forward Elise Hughes has emphasized that the national team must concentrate on their upcoming play-off clash with Albania before entertaining thoughts of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup. While the opportunity to reach the tournament in Brazil represents the fulfillment of a childhood ambition, Hughes maintains that attention remains fixed on the immediate challenge.

Rhian Wilkinson’s squad enters the second leg of the semi-final in Llanelli with a narrow 1-0 aggregate lead following the first match in Shkoder. A single draw in Tuesday’s fixture is sufficient for Wales to advance to the next phase of qualification.

“When you are a child, there is nothing bigger than playing in a World Cup,” Hughes told BBC Sport Wales. “You dream about it in your garden and at your local grassroots club. This group now has the chance to achieve that, which is the priority, but we have to win on Tuesday. That is the most important game right now.”

If Wales successfully navigate the Albanian tie, they will progress to a two-legged play-off final in December, where they face either Norway or Romania. A victory in that final could lead to an inter-confederation play-off in February.

Head coach Wilkinson has acknowledged that her side needs to elevate their performance in Llanelli after a somewhat unconvincing first-leg victory. Hughes, who plays for Sunderland, agreed with her manager’s assessment.

“There is always room to improve,” she said. “We have won by larger margins before, so we know we can do better. We were aware Albania would pose a threat, and we allowed them too much involvement in the game. It is now all about maintaining focus and securing the result.”