WELSH hopes of reaching a first major finals suffered a blow with a 1-0 defeat in Cardiff at the hands of Norway on Tuesday.

Wales needed to avoid defeat to maintain their qualification hopes for the European Championships and went into the game second in group C.

A superb rearguard action saw Wales go into the break level at 0-0, but Frida Maanum’s firm finish from 20 yards broke the deadlock just past the hour.

Wales showed great fight after the goal and pushed hard for an equaliser with Jess Fishlock shooting just wide.

Defeat, while coming after another good display, means Northern Ireland now hold an advantage over them in the race to finish second.

Wales manager Jayne Ludlow said: “If I’m honest I am probably more angry than anything else.

“I am angry about the goal in the sense that it is a switch-off moment from us.

“Obviously we had a game plan to try and nullify them and we were doing it pretty well.

“I am sure it wasn’t a great spectacle to watch for 60 minutes, but it was playing into our hands.

“A lack of concentration and organisation for the goal cost us and with the level of player they have, it is going to be difficult situation to deal with, unfortunately.

“We tried to go after them in the last 25 minutes and we created enough chances.

“But if you create chances in international football you have to take them.”

Wales included Newtown’s Carrie Jones and Llanidloes’ Maria Francis-Jones in their squad.