International friendly: Wales 1-1 Finland - Penalty cancels out Carrie Jones goal
- Published
Carrie Jones, shown here after giving Wales the lead, made her Wales debut as a 15-year old
Wales ended their 2022 schedule with a 1-1 draw against Finland in Pinatar.
Wales led at half-time thanks to Carrie Jones' 31st-minute tap-in after Jess Fishlock's run into the box caused problems for the Finnish defence.
Eveliina Summanen levelled after the break with a cool penalty after Rhiannon Roberts was harshly adjudged to have handled the ball.
Wales were never at their best and Finland looked more likely to find a late winner.
This was Wales' final game of a calendar year that promised so much with Gemma Grainger's side reaching a first major tournament play-off, but ultimately ended in disappointment with a last-gasp 2-1 defeat in Switzerland in the play-off final.
Grainger made just one change from the side defeated by Switzerland for the friendly at the Pinatar Arena in Spain with defender Lily Woodham replacing Carrie Holland, who withdrew from the squad with injury.
The switch allowed Rachel Rowe to play in a more advanced position in a contest Wales were viewing as the first step in their preparation for trying to reach the 2025 European Championships.
Finland played in the last Euros and they began the contest strongly, seemingly determined to end a run of seven successive defeats, with Summanen's shot deflected wide.
Wales' goal was barely threatened, but Finland were certainly playing the more incisive football with Linda Sallstrom's deflected effort almost bringing them reward on 25 minutes, but goalkeeper Laura O'Sullivan tipped the ball around the post.
A failure to make their possession pay was punished fully by Wales on 30 minutes when Jones was able to tap home as Finland failed to deal with Fishlock's cross.
Fishlock, Wales' most-capped player, always looked the most assured player in possession on a night on which many of her team-mates were below their best.
This friendly contest was played with a good intensity and both Woodham and Emma Koivisto were shown yellow cards before Olga Ahtinen's effort went wide.
Grainger took the opportunity to give match minutes to back-up goalkeeper Olivia Clark and within minutes of her introduction Clark had an opportunity to impress after a harsh penalty was awarded against Rhiannon Roberts after the ball struck her hand.
However, there was nothing Clark could do to stop Summanen's excellent penalty as the Tottenham midfielder fired the ball into the roof of the net.
It was Finland - ranked one place above Wales - who looked the more likely winner with Katarina Kosola's run culminating in a shot just off target before Clark saved from Summanen's header.
Wales manager Gemma Grainger:
"Overall I am really pleased. There were some signs of how we want to move forward. After the Switzerland game we wanted to be better in certain areas of the pitch and I think we did that tonight.
"There were spells - particularly in the first half and then towards the end of the second - when we really put our stamp on the game and we saw some of the best in-possession football against a higher-ranked nation that we have had.
"We get better out of possession game by game and I think we have seen that again tonight.
"The penalty was a little bit soft. The arm was in a fairly natural position and when the ball and player are so close, it's difficult to see that go against you.
"We made five changes. Tonight was about not only the performance but utilising the depth we had. It was pleasing see how well the players coming on did. Moving forward we want to utilise as many players as possible."