Wales Women rest Jess Fishlock and Angharad James for NZ friendly

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Angharad James (L) and Jess Fishlock have been left out after a hectic season for club and countryImage source, Huw Evans picture agency
Image caption,

Angharad James (L) and Jess Fishlock have been left out after a hectic season for club and country

Wales have rested key players Jess Fishlock and Angharad James for the friendly against New Zealand on Tuesday, 4 June.

The game at Leckwith Stadium in Cardiff is the final match before Jayne Ludlow's side begin their Uefa Women's Euro 2021 qualification campaign.

Fishlock was in action for Lyon on Saturday as they beat Barcelona to retain the Women's Champions League.

Georgia Evans returns to Wales duty for the first time since 2017.

Ludlow said it did not make sense to include Fishlock or James for the final friendly of the campaign.

"She (Fishlock) will be in the process of going back home to Seattle which is her home based club. She will play for them now through the season.

"For us trying to get one of our oldest players doing the travelling to come over and play another friendly after the season she has just completed and the load she has had through that season just does not make sense.

"All we would do is end up opening her up to injury and limiting her rest time.

"Looking towards the next qualifying campaign it is important we keep her fit and we help the club. It's similar with Angharad."

Ludlow has also selected the uncapped Lily Woodham, as she makes five changes to the side that played out a goalless draw against the Czech Republic in April.

The defender started in all three of Wales U19s' 2019 European qualifying round matches last October.

Ludlow's 20-strong squad will be facing a New Zealand side who will be competing in this year's Women's World Cup, which kicks off three days after the match.

Ludlow says the encounter underlines Wales' improved reputation as competitive opposition.

"We have taken a game that is slightly outside the Fifa window because we wanted to play top level opposition. The fact that the World Cup is local just over the water, means there are teams that want to play us," said the Wales manager.

"Its an opportunity for one of the younger members or the squad to come in and play good minutes.

"The fact is that now we are a team that people see as giving them realistic opposition, challenging them in certain ways before they go into competition. I think it is fantastic they came to us wanting a fixture."

Wales begin their Euro campaign on Thursday, 29 August away to the Faroe Islands, before facing Northern Ireland at home on Tuesday, 3 September.

Belarus and Norway are the other opponents in Wales' qualifying group.

Wales squad:

Laura O'Sullivan (Cardiff City Ladies), Olivia Clark (Nettleham Ladies), Sophie Ingle (Chelsea Women), Hayley Ladd (Birmingham City Ladies), Loren Dykes (Bristol City WFC), Gemma Evans (Bristol City WFC), Rhiannon Roberts (Liverpool Women), Lily Woodham (Reading Women), Natasha Harding (Reading Women), Chloe Lloyd (Cardiff City Ladies), Anna Filbey (Tottenham Hotspur LFC), Kylie Nolan (Cardiff City Ladies), Charlie Estcourt (Reading Women), Elise Hughes (Everton Ladies), Emma Jones (Cardiff City Ladies), Megan Wynne (Tottenham Hotspur LFC), Helen Ward (Watford Ladies), Kayleigh Green (Brighton & Hove Albion WFC), Ella Powell (Georgia State University), Georgia Evans (Yeovil Town Ladies).

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