Wales progress to Women's Euros play-off final after win over Slovakia

• Rhian Wilkinson said she is a "proud coach" after her side had a dramatic 2-0 extra-time victory over Slovakia at the Cardiff City Stadium.

Ceri Holland kept Wales' hopes of reaching Euro 2025 alive with an extra-time winner against Slovakia on Tuesday night.

Rhian Wilkinson's side had to overcome a 2-1 deficit from the first play-off semi-final leg and it took more than 100 minutes of football for the decisive strike to come.

Wales had more of the ball in the opening exchanges at Cardiff City Stadium and the visitors were happy to soak up the pressure and attempt to spring counter-attacks.

Early on, Rachel Rowe drove into the Slovakia half and Jess Fishlock had the freedom of Cardiff through the middle but the pass wasn't spotted and an early chance went begging.

The hosts, though, struggled to find rhythm as the first half wore on, then came the first real chance. The ball looped in the air 10 yards from the Slovakia goal but Rowe couldn't connect on the volley before Ffion Morgan dragged a follow-up shot wide.

Skipper Angharad James followed up with a pot-shot from outside the area but it didn't trouble Maria Korenciova in the Slovakian goal.

With half hour on the clock, Fishlock - Wales' best player - had been a bystander but soon she took centre stage in front of the 10,504 fans inside the ground.

Wales created a flurry of chances as the game ticked towards half time and this time James produced a moment of real quality.

Fishlock latched onto her pinpoint through ball and dinked it delightfully over the onrushing Korenciova to put Wales ahead on the night and bring them level on aggregate.

Morgan had two golden opportunities to get Wales off to a flying start in the second half but failed to hit the target on both occasions. Nonetheless, it signalled that the visitors were there for the taking, if Wales could sharpen up in front of goal.

Just after the hour mark, Fishlock thought she'd put Wales ahead in the tie when she blasted the ball home, only for the assistant referee on the far side to flag Liverpool's Holland offside in the build-up.

Five minutes later, Fishlock had the net bulging again but once again the flag on the far side dampened the celebrations. Replays showed the decision to be correct, with the Welsh attacker mistiming her run.

But Slovakia were treading water when Rowe fired a dangerous ball across the six-yard box, with Fishlock agonisingly close to sliding in and poking the ball home.

As the game entered the final 10 minutes, a decisive goal continued to elude Wales. The game was on a knife edge. Conceding now would spell disaster and it almost came to pass.

Slovakia cleared a free kick in their own half and then James was dispossessed with no-one at home for the hosts.

Tamara Moravkova raced in behind but was forced into an early shot from outside the box thanks to some desperate tracking back from Holland. Cardiff City Stadium breathed a sigh of relief as the effort was dragged wide of Olivia Clark's goal.

In added time, Holland raced onto substitute Kayleigh Barton's flick-on but her volley sailed harmlessly into the Canton Stand and extra time was needed.

With tired bodies all over the field, chances in the first half of extra time were at a premium. Fishlock's volley from just inside the area once again missed the target and after 105 minutes of action, penalties felt inevitable.

But with five minutes to go, Wales finally found a way.

Fishlock's hopeful ball found Kayleigh Barton in acres of space as she raced through the Slovakian half. Her effort cannoned off the post but it fell to Holland, Wales' best player on the night, to smash home the winner.

Once again, the flag on the far side was raised but this time an intervention from VAR came to Wales' rescue to rule that Barton had in fact timed her run to perfection.

Slovakia couldn't find a goal that would have taken it to spot-kicks and Wales now face Ireland in the play-off final for a place at Euro 2025.