Women's World Cup play-off: Wales hearts broken by extra-time Switzerland winner

Switzerland seasoned Fabienne Humm celebrates aft scoring the precocious winner

Wales' hopes of reaching a archetypal large tourney came to an agonising extremity arsenic Switzerland fought backmost to triumph a melodramatic World Cup play-off last successful the dying seconds of other time.

Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic past missed a punishment earlier converting the rebound, lone for that to beryllium disallowed.

Bachmann besides saw a extremity ruled retired aft a VAR cheque earlier Fabienne Humm won it close astatine the end.

With a punishment shootout looming, Humm's delicate near-post decorativeness meant a achy decision to a good run for Wales.

Victory would person enactment Gemma Grainger's broadside wrong show of the 2023 World Cup, but alternatively they are near licking their wounds aft a valiant rearguard effort counted for nothing.

Grainger volition constituent to the advancement made during her archetypal qualifying run arsenic manager, with Wales finishing 2nd successful Group I to runaway winners France earlier beating Bosnia-Herzgovina successful past week's play-off semi-final.

But Switzerland were the amended broadside successful the play-off last and, portion the timing of Humm's victor was hard to take, Wales could not kick astir their defeat.

Switzerland justified their pre-match billing arsenic favourites against a Wales broadside who are ranked 30th successful the satellite by Fifa, 9 places beneath their hosts, though Nils Nielsen's squad were made to enactment for their victory.

The Swiss went to past summer's European Championship - their 3rd large tourney successful the past 7 years - whereas Wales person ne'er antecedently made it arsenic acold arsenic the play-off signifier of qualification.

Wales yet got the amended of Bosnia-Herzegovina courtesy of Jess Fishlock's extra-time goal, and determination was nary astonishment arsenic Grainger named an unchanged team.

They had to header with aboriginal unit successful Zurich, with Switzerland asking questions of a Welsh defence which had past been breached by France successful April.

Rhiannon Roberts (centre) celebrates aft scoring conscionable her 2nd extremity for Wales

There was a scare erstwhile a half-cleared set-piece dropped to Viola Calligaris 25 yards from goal, and her skidding thrust kissed the extracurricular of Laura O'Sullivan's post.

Wales gradually grew into the contention - and snatched the pb done their archetypal accidental of immoderate note.

Angharad James' country was not dealt with by the Swiss defence, giving Kayleigh Green the accidental to caput the shot into Roberts' path.

The Liverpool full-back's task was simple, arsenic she rolled the shot beyond a helpless Gaelle Thalmann.

Wales were successful dreamland, their pockets of fans astatine Stadion Letzigrund sensing thing peculiar was connected the cards arsenic Grainger's squad defended their pb with comparative comfortableness for a while.

Yet the temper changed conscionable earlier the break, erstwhile Lia Walti spotted a spread successful the Welsh rearguard and rolled a cleanable walk down the close flank for her Arsenal team-mate Noelle Maritz.

Her pull-back picked retired Bachmann, whose crisp changeable flashed past O'Sullivan and into the net.

Switzerland carried momentum into the 2nd half, and thought they were up aft a punishment was awarded against Rachel Rowe for handball.

Rowe appeared to person dealt with Eseosa Aigbogun's transverse lone for Swedish referee Tess Olofsson to springiness the spot-kick aft a lengthy look astatine the VAR monitor.

Barcelona's Crnogorcevic fired the punishment against the basal of the station earlier sweeping successful the rebound.

But Swiss celebrations were halted by Olofsson, who rightly ruled the extremity retired due to the fact that nary different subordinate had touched the shot betwixt Crnogorcevic's 2 efforts.

Switzerland observe aft erstwhile Chelsea subordinate Ramona Bachmann's equaliser

Wales were disconnected the hook.

The visitors carved a uncommon accidental arsenic Fishlock recovered Green successful the country but her effort looped over.

Then, six minutes from the extremity of mean time, came the 2nd large involution from Dutch VAR Jochem Kamphuis.

Bachmann thought she had scored her 2nd arsenic she turned sharply successful the country and recovered the acold country - but the extremity was yet ruled retired for a marginal offside successful the lead-up against substitute Riola Xhemaili.

For a infinitesimal Wales looked beaten, yet they wriggled disconnected the hook for a 2nd time.

Having dug heavy to unit other time, Wales had to delve further into the reserves arsenic Switzerland dominated the further period.

Bachmann danced circular a mates of challenges lone to sprout excessively adjacent to O'Sullivan, earlier Crnogorcevic headed narrowly wide and Rachel Rinast volleyed the incorrect broadside of the post.

Xhemaili past came adjacent to uncovering a victor lone for her header to beryllium headed disconnected the enactment by Rachel Rowe.

With that an epic contention seemed definite to beryllium decided by a shootout, but Switzerland carved 1 last opportunity.

Geraldine Reuteler made crushed down the near and crossed for substitute Humm to present the game's decisive blow.