Wales 4-0 Croatia: Jess Fishlock stars as Wales make perfect start to Euro qualifiers

Jess Fishlock inspired Wales to a 4-0 win over Croatia as their bid to qualify for a first major tournament got off to a dream start in Wrexham.

Fishlock scored within four minutes of the start of both halves on a night where Wales underlined their status as group favourites.

The Seattle Reign player also turned provider for Rachel Rowe who added a third goal for Wales on 51 minutes on a dream night for Wales' new boss, Rhian Wilkinson.

Angharad James' volley from an acute angle added gloss to the finish as Wales enjoyed a victorious return to the Stok Racecourse after a four-year hiatus.

Fishlock inspires Wales again

There is little doubt that Wales will rely on the brilliance of their most-capped player, Fishlock, who made her 149th Wales appearance in Wrexham, as they bid to reach a first major finals.

Still one of the world's elite players at the age of 37, Fishlock says this will be her last qualification campaign and it took a matter of minutes for her to make her mark as she bids to drag Wales to unchartered territory.

Rhian Wilkinson was in charge of Wales for the first time since succeeding Gemma Grainger

The opening goal was a vindication of the more fluid system, with Rowe - now in an attacking central midfield role - producing a driving run and expertly timed pass to allow Fishlock the time and space to calmly slot the ball under Doris Bacic.

• Wales 4-0 Croatia - as it happened

Fishlock was central to Wales' attacking play as they dominated possession and restricted Croatia to defending extremely deeply with 10 players behind the ball at virtually all times.

Wales were restricted to half chances after going ahead, with Rowe firing wide and captain Sophie Ingle seeing a shot blocked, but they almost doubled their advantage just before the interval when Hayley Ladd's floating cross picked out Elise Hughes, but she headed over from close-range.

Fishlock was not to be denied though and she doubled Wales' lead on 49 minutes, heading home after her initial lobbed effort struck the crossbar - a player so good, she even does one-twos with the woodwork.

Jess Fishlock was winning her 149th cap since making her debut in 2006

The goals, Fishlock's 41st and 42nd in her 149th game, puts her ahead of Gareth Bale as Wales' second-top scorer, just two goals behind Helen Ward.

"I think she will break my record by the end of this campaign if not sooner," Ward said.

"She has been an absolute superstar for Wales for so many years. She is making history all the time. If anyone is going to take that record I would be delighted to see Jess do it."

Wilkinson makes winning start in first game

Wales' new boss Wilkinson had promised pre-match that she was looking to implement her own coaching ideas slowly, favouring a "evolution rather than revolution" approach with a side she says are "on a mission" to qualify for a first major finals.

She was as good as her word as she opted to make just one alteration to the Wales side that impressed in a friendly win in Dublin, with Ella Powell replacing Josie Green who missed out through illness.

Wilkinson, capped 183 times by Canada but who has a Welsh mother, has spoken about her desire to fully embrace her heritage and she did an impressive job of singing Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau before kick-off.

It remains a little early in her tenure to assess exactly what a Wilkinson team is going to look like, but certainly it appears Wales will continue to try and play a more expansive, possession-based game.

Wales had 79% possession in the first half as they controlled the contest, while she also made an attacking change at half-time, introducing Ffion Morgan to replace Powell at right wing-back.

Wales' increased attacking impetus was obvious after the interval especially and after Fishlock's close-range header doubled Wales' lead, it was a matter of how many goals Wales would score.

Fishlock turned provider for Wales' third goal, crossing to Rowe when she could have shot, with Rowe firing into the bottom corner to make the result safe.

There was still time for Wales to push for more and they showed a clinical touch in front of goal with James spectacularly volleying home from an acute angle after Gemma Evans' cross-field pass caught out goalkeeper Bacic, who also saved to deny Mary McAteer a first Wales goal.

Substitute Ceri Holland struck the crossbar with a long-range effort as Wales pushed on, with Wilkinson even afforded the luxury of giving Fishlock, Rowe and Ingle a rest ahead of Wales' visit to Kosovo on Tuesday.