Women’s World Cup qualifier: Wales turn around as weather hits tour of Montenegro

Wales’ preparations for Friday’s Women’s World Cup qualifier in Montenegro have been badly disrupted after bad weather forced the team flight to divert to Italy.

Rhian Wilkinson’s squad set off from Cardiff at 16:30 BST on Wednesday and were due to arrive in Montenegro around three hours later.

However, due to electrical storms around the Montenegrin capital, they were unable to land in Podgorica and eventually moved to the Italian port city of Brindisi.

After more than three hours on the tarmac in southern Italy, by which time Wales had hoped the weather conditions would ease, the decision was made to stay in Brindisi on Wednesday night.

It has Football Association of Wales (FAW) officials trying to secure hotel rooms for the traveling team as well as arrange travel plans for Thursday.

“Due to storms in Podgorica, the Cymru Women’s National Team flight was diverted this evening, landing safely at Brindisi Airport in southern Italy,” the FAW said on social media.

“The team will spend the night in Italy and make alternative travel arrangements to Montenegro before Friday evening’s match.”

Wales take on Montenegro in Podgorica in their final Group B1 match on Friday at 17:00 BST.

They host arch-rivals Czech Republic in their final match in Cardiff on Tuesday to top the group.