RANGERS defender Laura Rafferty is out of the Northern Ireland squad for the upcoming UEFA Women’s Nations League double header against Romania.
Northern Ireland senior women’s team manager Tanya Oxtoby revealed the experienced defender has picked up an injury and has had to withdraw from the squad ahead of the two UWNL encounters.
She will be replaced in the panel by Nottingham Forest Women defender Natalie Johnson.
The Northern Ireland boss said: “Laura has sustained an injury, which means that she will stay at her club and look to rehabilitate and get herself back to full fitness. We wish Laura a swift recovery.
“It means Nat Johnson comes into the squad. She has been playing consistently well for her club, so we’re delighted to be able to bring her back in.”
She further revealed the squad trained today and everyone else in the panel is fit and raring to go for the games against the Romanians. “The mood is optimistic,” she said.
Oxtoby has brought in 16-year-old goalkeeper Abbie Smith, who plays for Northern Ireland’s Women’s Under-17s and has just signed for Manchester City Women from Crusaders Strikers, as a training player this week. She called it “a brilliant development and a great opportunity for her”.
And she further revealed she is aiming to bring in another goalkeeper, 17-year-old Lisburn Rangers Ladies keeper Kate Smith, as a training player next week. Smith currently plays for the Northern Ireland Women’s U19s.
The manager added: “This helps us see some of the younger generation in action and to see how they assimilate into a high performance elite environment.”
Northern Ireland are currently in Leicester preparing for the two UWNL games against Romania.
They are due to face the Romanians in League B Group 1 on Friday (April 4) at the Stadionul Arcul de Triumf in Bucharest and then back in Belfast next Tuesday (April 8) – at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park.
Northern Ireland lie second in the B1 group (on three points) behind Poland (six points) after a defeat against the Poles away and a win over Bosnia and Herzegovina at home in their opening group fixtures.
Former England international Izzy Christiansen, as she did last month, has joined the regular coaching staff to put the players through their paces at Leicester City’s training ground until Wednesday when they will fly out to Romania.
Tickets are still available for the home game against Romania on 8 April at irishfa.com/tickets.
Abbie Smith has joined Manchester City
