Page 29 - Women's Soccer Scene Issue No.21 2021-22

Wales and Scotland Under-19 squads

Nicola Anderson and Pauline Hamill have named their squads for Wales’ Under-19 double header
against Scotland in north Wales. The first match will take place at Denbigh Town on Tuesday 15th
February (6pm), with the second taking place three days later at Colliers Park on Friday 18th
February (12pm).
Four players have been selected from the Genero Adran Leagues, including Cardiff City Women
striker Phoebie Poole, Wales’ top scorer in their UEFA qualifying round campaign so far with five
goals.
The matches will prepare the two sides for their 2022 UEFA #WU19EURO Qualifying Round 2
matches in April. Wales will face hosts England, Belgium and Iceland in League A as they look to
qualify for the finals tournament, whilst Scotland will be up against Kosovo, Estonia and Kazakhstan.
Wales Under-19 squad:
Safia Middleton-Patel (Manchester United), Elen Valentine (Birmingham City), Lucy Farrell-
Shrouder (Burnley FC Women), Maria Francis-Jones (Manchester City), Bethan McGowan
(Arsenal), Bethan Roberts (Reading FC Women), Scarlett Williams (Tottenham Hotspur), Amy
Meadows (Manchester City), Ella Humphrey (Brighton & Hove Albion), Ella Hilliard (Bristol
City), Phoebie Poole (Cardiff City Women), Hollie Smith (Cardiff City Women), Zoe Smith
(Cardiff City Ladies), Mary McAteer (Aston Villa), Jessie Taylor (Cardiff Met Women), Sophie
Phillips (Birmingham City), Megan Curran (Brighton & Hove Albion), Lauren Purchase (Aston
Villa), Taylor Reynolds (Birmingham City), Seren Watkins (Cardiff City Women).
Scotland Under-19 squad:
Aimee Anderson (Heart of Midlothian), Amelie Birse (Heart of Midlothian), Jessica Broadrick
(Aberdeen), Tegan Browning (Heart of Midlothian), Shona Cowan (Heart of Midlothian), Hannah
Davie (Boroughmuir Thistle), Eilidh Davies (Heart of Midlothian), Ciara Duff (Motherwell), Caley
Gibb (Spartans), Bayley Hutchison (Aberdeen), Hannah Jordan (Rangers), Leila Lister (Reading
FC Women), Maria McAneny (Heart of Midlothian*), Robyn McCafferty (Spartans), Rosie
McQuillan (Spartans), Niamh Murphy (Manchester United), London Pollard (Motherwell), Eva
Thomson (Aberdeen), Kenzie Weir (Everton), Alicia Yates (Spartans).
Referees urged to “seize the moment”

Europe’s top female referees face important challenges in the coming months – with UEFA issuing
a clarion call encouraging them to make the most of the opportunities that are waiting for them.
With the UEFA Women’s EURO in England in July fast approaching, the referees – all
candidates for the team of match officials at the tournament – are being called on to make every
performance count in the period ahead as they strive to book their place at the premier event in
European women’s national team football. “Sport, like all of life, is about taking your chances,“
UEFA refereeing officer Dagmar Damková told the group of 23 European female referees at UEFA’s
annual winter course.
“This EURO is going to be a massive event for women’s football, new standards are going to be
set,” she added. “And the referees who take part are going to make a hugely important contribution.”
The winter course, held online owing to restrictions brought about by the pandemic, served to
prime the match officials for the schedule that lies in front of them in the next few months. The first
challenges arrive with the knockout stages of the UEFA Women’s Champions League, which will
crown a memorable season of change and evolution for the competition with its new 16-team group
stage, centralised sponsorship and media rights and heightened profile and exposure.
The Women’s EURO referee team will be selected after the Women’s Champions League
quarter-finals, and those who perform well over the two legs in late March will put themselves in
the frame for the tournament in England between 6 and 31 July.
“Performances will take priority over names when we choose the referees,” Damková says. “We
could have a situation where referees that are not so well-known impress us just as much as
established officials.”
Issue no. 21 - 10 February 2022 news@womenssoccerscene.co.uk