Rhian Wilkinson acknowledged that Wales must elevate their performance standards following a narrow 1-0 victory in their Women's World Cup play-off semi-final against Albania. The win, secured by an own goal from Ezmiralda Franja in the first half, gives Wales an advantage ahead of the second leg on Tuesday in Llanelli.

Despite the victory, Wilkinson expressed concern, noting that her team was fortunate to win against a side ranked 37 places lower in the FIFA rankings. Albania created several promising chances, which could have changed the game's outcome.

Wilkinson stated, "We stuck with it. [It was a] resilient performance. Not our best, but equally, we learned to win on hard days."

Key points from the match include:

• Wales achieved a clean sheet, a goal set by Wilkinson.
• Albania's Fortesa Berisha and Megi Doci also had near misses.
• Wales struggled offensively but managed to secure a positive result away from home.

Wilkinson reflected on the team's defensive performance, admitting, "I didn't think we defended overly well today to be honest, but what we did do is we never quit." She highlighted the team's growth and resilience in tough situations.

Historically, Wales had previously dominated Albania with a 4-0 victory in Wrexham during the group stage, along with strong performances against Montenegro and the Czech Republic. As they prepare for the next match at Parc y Scarlets, the focus remains on improving their game to ensure progression to the two-legged play-off final in December.