Wales team guide
Sunday, March 31, 2013
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The hosts are making their final tournament debut, having never quite been able to get over the line in seven second qualifying round appearances despite some promising results.
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The hosts are making their UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship finals debut, having never quite managed to get over the line in seven appearances in the second qualifying round.
They have come close, most notably in 2005 and 2006 with a team spearheaded by Jessica Fishlock, and in 2011 when they held the mighty Germany to a goalless draw before a win and a loss. Although a 6-0 drubbing by England ended a young side's 2012 campaign, it was a sign of their rapid improvement when Jarmo Matikainen's charges later drew with their neighbours in a December friendly, winning a subsequent penalty shoot-out.
That was one of several friendly fixtures Wales have used to hone their skills in the run-up to this final tournament, yet with so many women's U19 players also on senior duty they have struggled to find fluency. Heavy defeats by Norway in February may also have affected the confidence that had been building with the England game and a narrow 2-0 loss to WU19 holders Sweden.
Matikainen is under no illusions about the task ahead, saying: "The whole tournament is going to be tough, physically and mentally, but at the same time they understand they can still enjoy playing. Everyone at this level will have pressure, but to be able to perform and enjoy the tournament regardless of that pressure is the most important thing."
2012/13 friendlies
03/02/13: 0-4 Norway, Oswestry
01/02/13: 0-5 Norway, Newtown
23/10/12: 1-1 England (5-3 pens), Burton
21/10/12: 0-2 Sweden, Burton
28/09/12: 1-1 Turkey, Bursa
26/09/12: 0-0 Turkey, Bursa
Key players
Angharad James (midfielder, Bristol Academy WFC), Alice Evans (goalkeeper, Cardiff City LFC), Hannah Keryakoplis (forward, Stoke City LFC), Lauren Price (defender, Cardiff City LFC).
Coach: Jarmo Matikainen
Date of birth: 21/02/1960
Playing career: Helsingin Ponnistus 1887 (twice), FC Kontu Itä-Helsinki, Malmin Palloseura, FC Viikingit
Coaching career: FC Viikingit (player-coach), FC Viikingit, Finland women's U19 and U17, Finland women's team (assistant), Wales women's team, Wales women's U19 and U17
A former midfielder who made over 400 competitive appearances in his native Finland during a 15-year playing career, Matikainen began coaching in men's football though it is in the women's game he has made his name. For more than a decade he has trained national teams in Finland and, since August 2010, Wales.
He holds several positions within the Football Association of Wales (FAW). He is head coach of the senior women's side, the U19s and the U17s, combining those roles with a wider remit of assisting the development of a national strategy for women's soccer in the principality. The multitasking befits a man able to speak five languages.
In August he makes history as the first coach to lead a Welsh women's team in a final tournament, initially aiming to guide his side to the semi-finals as he did Finland in this competition in 2005. It was a busy summer: the previous month Matikainen had been in the back-room staff as Finland got to the last four of UEFA Women's EURO 2005. He was also women's U17 boss.
Matikainen linked up with the Football Association of Finland (SPL-FBF) in 1999. He had started as a player-coach at Viikingit, taking them from the fourth tier to the second, and also had a spell at the helm of first club Ponnistus before switching to the women's game.
UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship record
Have never previously qualified
Honours in other UEFA women's competitions
None