Lauren Wade: Midfielder joins Northern Ireland injury absentees for Euro 2022 play-off against Ukraine
- Published
Wade played for Northern Ireland in their 6-0 defeat by England in February
Northern Ireland have suffered a further injury blow for the Euro 2022 play-off against Ukraine after midfielder Lauren Wade was ruled out.
An ankle injury means Wade will miss the first leg in Ukraine on 9 April and the return game at Seaview on 13 April.
"It's not a nice feeling at all to get the news that you are out of play-offs," she said.
"They are the two biggest games in Northern Ireland women's history - It's not a nice time."
She added: "It happened in training and was just very unfortunate - I went to press the keeper, the ball hit my ankle and it was whatever way I landed.
"I didn't think it was that bad and I was quite hopeful so it has been hard to accept. Unfortunately I got the bad news that had torn/ruptured two of the three ankle ligaments and I'm looking at six-eight weeks out."
Depleted squad
Manager Kenny Shiels was already having to plan without several players including Demi Vance, Megan Bell, Emma McMaster and Caragh Hamilton.
On the plus side, sisters Kirsty and Caitlin McGuinness will be available.
The sisters missed the 6-0 friendly defeat by England last month for personal reasons.
Wade has been without a club since leaving Glasgow City last year but remains one of Northern Ireland's key players.
The midfielder has been linked with Irish Women's Premiership champions Glentoran after training with the club in recent weeks.
Northern Ireland finished runners-up to Norway in Group C of the Euro 2022 qualifiers to reach the play-off stages of a major women's tournament for the first time.
Shiels' team last faced Ukraine a year ago at the Pinatar Cup in Spain when his youthful Northern Ireland were on the wrong end of a 4-0 scoreline.