Wales drop points in Montenegro draw to stay level at top of World Cup qualifying group

Wales failed to seize top spot in Women’s World Cup qualifying Group B1 after drawing 1-1 with Montenegro at Stadion Pod Goricom on Saturday, with Jasna Djokovic’s late equaliser denying Rhian Wilkinson’s side the win they needed.

Hannah Cain gave Wales the lead in the 41st minute, converting a penalty after Katarina Cadenovic fouled Esther Morgan. It was Cain’s sixth goal in just five matches, and it capped a dominant first-half display in which Wales controlled possession and pressed the Montenegro defence throughout.

The visitors had endured a difficult build-up, with storms in Podgorica forcing their flight to divert before the match. Despite that disruption, Wales looked the more threatening side, with Ffion Morgan and Rachel Rowe both causing problems down the flanks, and Elise Hughes going close on more than one occasion.

Montenegro grew into the game after the interval. Medina Desic stabbed narrowly wide seconds after the restart, and Sladjana Bulatovic produced a remarkable overhead goal-line clearance to deny Hughes a second Welsh goal. Goalkeeper Ajsa Kalac also tipped a Hughes header from a corner over the crossbar.

The hosts’ pressure eventually told in the 79th minute when Djokovic prodded home from Desic’s cut-back across the six-yard area, levelling the match and ending Wales’s hopes of taking all three points.

The result means Wales were unable to benefit from the Czech Republic’s earlier draw with Albania. Both sides remain level on 11 points in Group B1, and the two teams meet on Tuesday in what is now effectively a direct contest for top position in the group.