Wales women’s hockey team will face Ghana in the lowest classification match after losing their final pool game at the Commonwealth Games.
Wales, wearing their alternative black uniform, were beaten 1-0 by Malaysia to complete their group schedule on the Gold Coast in the early hours of this morning.
The loss meant they finished bottom of pool A and face the bottom side from pool B to fight for a 9th place finish at the games.
The game against world number 30 Ghana, the only team at the tournament ranked below 26th place Wales, will start at 4.30am UK time on Thursday morning, April 12.
Wales finished 9th at the 2014 games in Glasgow when Knighton’s Phoebe Richards scored in a 4-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago.
In Glasgow Wales didn’t win any of their group games but immediately improved on that in Australia when they shocked world number 10 India in a stunning 3-2 victory.
But defeats to England and South Africa followed which ended Welsh hopes of a top two finish to gain a semi-final spot.
Wales could have however finished third, with a chance to play for fifth place overall, had they beaten Malaysia.
Malaysia, who entered the game with only a draw against South Africa to their name, took the lead in the second quarter through Han Onn after both teams appeared evenly matched.
Malaysia were dominant in possession in the third quarter and even when Wales looked threatening they failed to create clear goal scoring opportunities.
With four minutes remaining Wales took goalkeeper Roseanne Thomas off to try and launch an all out assault on the Malaysian goal with 11 outfield players
Forward Richards charged into the Malaysian area late on and their slender one goal advantage looked under threat when Wales were awarded a penalty corner with 23 seconds in the game.
A clever routine appeared to set up Elizabeth Bingham with a shot at goal but the goalkeeper was able to make the save and time expired to consign Wales to the bottom of the group.
Brecon’s Delyth Thomas once again featured as a substitute in the game.