A significant setback has befallen Wales’s dynamic forward, Elise Hughes, as she faces an extended period off the pitch due to a severe knee injury. This 23-year-old striker’s career hit a rough patch when she ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) while playing for the leading team of the Women’s Championship, Crystal Palace, just this past Sunday.
The timing couldn’t be worse, especially for the new Wales boss, Rhian Wilkinson, who was banking on Hughes’ impressive performances. Let’s not forget that Hughes showed her prowess in the recent victory over Kosovo, where she scored not once, but twice. This triumph brought her total Wales’ score to a solid three goals in her 26 appearances.
Unfortunately, despite her stellar performance this season with Palace – where she has netted an impressive 16 goals in 21 league games – Hughes now confronts a surgical path to recovery following her substitution during the first half of their victory at Lewes.
Sunday is set to be a significant day for Palace, as they are one step away from securing their promotion to the Women’s Super League. The deciding game is a host match against Sunderland on the final day of the Championship season.
This incident follows a series of wins for Wales, with the victory over Kosovo coming after a winning match against Croatia in their first Euro 2025 qualifier. But with Hughes sidelined, the team’s prospects might look a bit grim. The team is all set to square off with Ukraine in Llanelli on 31 May, followed by the return fixture on 4 June.
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Post that, Wales is scheduled to travel to Croatia on 12 July, and wrap up the qualifying group with one final match back in Llanelli against Kosovo just four days later. These upcoming matches will undeniably be a test of the team’s resilience in Hughes’ absence.