Women's Nations League: Germany draw shows Wales are ready for Euros
- Published
Wales boss Gemma Grainger says her side's shock 0-0 Nations League draw with Germany shows they are ready to qualify for a major tournament.
Wales deservedly held Group A3 winners Germany in Swansea in a game where they arguably created the better chances.
The 29th-ranked hosts ended a run of six successive defeats by holding a Germany side ranked sixth in the world.
"Yes, I think we are ready to qualify for a major tournament, I've believed that the whole time," Grainger said.
"With the players that we have, and what we've done is added depth, we have tactical flexibility now and have players who can come on and change the game.
"I have a headache now to pick a starting XI.
"There have been results in this campaign that we haven't been happy with, but the team have learned and adapted."
Grainger feels her side showed their capabilities against a top-class Germany whose manager Horst Hrubesch admitted his side were lucky to draw the game.
"This was the complete performance from us," Grainger added. "We've shown we can do it and we want to do it consistently.
"Qualifying for the Euros is our number one target... I think we are right on track."
Grainger's side will now turn their attention to attempting to qualify for Euro 2025 after ending a Nations League campaign that saw them relegated to League B, but with a morale-boosting last result and performance.
I thought we were the better team. We had the better chances and hit the post so, overall, I'm very pleased," Grainger said.
"I've always said it, playing in this league is what we've always wanted to do. This is what will take us forward.
"For us as a group, it gives us belief and we're proud to do it here in Swansea.
"We executed our game plan. To do that against Germany, the players should be proud.
"It's a real moment when you say we had the better chances against Germany."
Wales' most-capped player Jess Fishlock feels the side can take great heart from how they ended the campaign, holding a Germany side who thought they would need to win the game to top the group.
"I'm tired but it's a great result for us and, more importantly, a great performance," Fishlock told Match of the Day Wales.
"We've talked about this being a journey and a process and it may have taken us a little longer than we thought but we're at the end of it now.
"They (Germany) needed to win, by the way, this was not a nothing game for them.
"They came here and we shut them down. That's our progress.
"We have to take this as our bare-minimum standard now and push on from here.
"I thought we were the better team and there are moments we need to tidy up.
"I couldn't be any prouder of these girls and this group. We're going to take this, push on and take it into the Euro qualifiers."
Captain Sophie Ingle felt a draw was a great result for Wales, who are ranked 29th in the world and have never in their history beaten a side ranked in the world's top 20.
"I'm just proud really, to represent our country and put in a performance like that," she said.
"We never give in. We were playing a top team and nullified them, and we could have scored.
"That's the next step we have to take, we have to get the ball in the net, but credit to us, a draw against them is a great result."
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