'It'd be huge' - Wales eye history after Slovakia win

Jess Fishlock scored her 46th goal for Wales during the 2-0 win over Slovakia

Wales are two games away from reaching a major women's tournament for the first time after beating Slovakia 3-2 on aggregate in their Euro 2025 play-off contest.

Goals from Jess Fishlock and Ceri Holland earned Rhian Wilkinson's side a 2-0 triumph after extra-time at Cardiff City Stadium following a 2-1 loss in the opening leg in Poprad.

It means Wales will face Republic of Ireland across two legs later this year - with the winner booking their place at next summer's finals in Switzerland.

Wilkinson's side will host Ireland in the first leg of the final before travelling to Dublin for the second leg - with the games taking place between 27 November and 3 December.

Eileen Gleeson's Ireland are currently ranked 24th in the world - five places above Wales.

In the wake of the pivotal victory against Slovakia, BBC Sport Wales pundits have given their assessment of the latest camp and offer their verdicts on the Ireland test that lies ahead.

'No such thing as right place, right time'

Holland, who was deployed on the right side of midfield against Slovakia, scored in the 22nd minute of extra-time to put Wales ahead for the first time in the two-legged tie.

The Liverpool player lashed into the net after substitute Kayleigh Barton struck the post, with the goal being awarded after a delay due to a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) check.

Discussing Holland, former Wales centre-back Nia Jones told Match of the Day Wales: "Ceri Holland is so versatile, but for a quality footballer like she is, she works her socks off.

"For the goal, there's no such thing as right place, right time, you've got to anticipate it and have the legs to reach it after 120 minutes."

Ex-Wales midfielder Katie Sherwood told Match of the Day Wales: "Ceri Holland has been such a consistent performer throughout this campaign, playing in a number of positions.

"The key is she has end product, she is such an influential player for this team."

Liverpool midfielder Ceri Holland recovered from a foot injury to play for Wales against Slovakia

A tough test ahead

Republic of Ireland secured an emphatic 9-0 aggregate win over Georgia to book their place in the play-off final.

And while they should provide a far sterner test that Slovakia, former Wales striker Helen Ward believes Wales can be confident ahead of the double header.

"It's going to be a much tougher ask against the Republic of Ireland," she said on BBC Radio Wales.

"You'd expect they'll come with a game plan, but it's certainly a game Wales will look to and think they can win.

"We've got a to and fro record against them over the years, won a few and of course that game earlier this year where we beat them was a great performance.

"If we perform like we did then we stand a very good chance."

New boss Wilkinson watched from the stands as Wales defeated Ireland 2-0 in Dublin in a friendly in February.

But former Wales full-back Kath Morgan expects Wilkinson's side to be on the back foot far more in the upcoming contests with Ireland.

"When we beat the Republic of Ireland that wasn't their first team, November will be completely different," Morgan told Radio Cymru.

"We're not used to playing teams above us since Gemma Grainger was in charge.

"We will be the team sitting in the low block come November, trying to defend as a unit and that's perhaps something we're not as used to."

Squad options improving?

Fishlock played the full 120 minutes in the second leg against Slovakia having come off the bench in the first fixture in Poprad.

It was her first taste of action since sustaining a leg injury while on Seattle Reign duty in early September.

Leicester City forward Hannah Cain also returned from a lengthy injury lay-off to play the final minutes of the second leg in Cardiff, and Harries feels players can use the upcoming weeks to reach peak match fitness for the play-off final.

"Players are coming back, like Hannah Cain, she got more minutes after coming back from another ACL injury, she’s had a tough couple of years," added Harries.

"Hopefully a few more players who haven’t been playing or starting regularly for their clubs will have a few more weeks to gain some match fitness."

On the cusp of history

Wales suffered late heartbreak in a World Cup play-off against Switzerland under Gemma Grainger in 2022.

But with a major tournament appearance now ever closer, Ward admits qualification would do wonders for the nation.

"It'd be huge. There are so many players in the squad that I've had the privilege of playing with. This is probably the last chance for some and they've given so much to the country," Ward told 5 Live Breakfast.

"It'll do so much for the sport in general in Wales and for women's football. We had over 10,000 there last night, I'd expect to have more for the Ireland game.

"It'd just inspire a new generation of players and it could kick the sport on to new heights.

"It would mean an awful lot to get to that tournament finally."