Wilkinson says Wales must raise their standards after scraping a 1-0 win in the play‑off semi‑final in Albania.
Wales head into Tuesday’s second leg in Llanelli with momentum after Ezmiralda Franja’s own goal handed them a first‑half lead in Shkoder.
The victory felt lucky against a side 37 places lower in FIFA rankings, especially as Albania generated the best chances of the match.
“We stuck with it. A resilient display, not our finest, yet we learned to win on tough days,” the coach observed.
“Getting home with the win feels great. We’re halfway there,” she added.
“We must handle the home leg and still push our standards higher,” Wilkinson emphasized.
Women’s World Cup qualifying play‑off semi‑final – second leg
Tuesday, 13 October · 19:15 BST
Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli
Wilkinson set a clean‑sheet target in Albania and her side delivered, albeit in fortunate fashion.
Albania’s Franja, Fortesa Berisha and Megi Doci all threatened the Welsh goal.
Albania’s miss mirrored their group‑stage away games, allowing Wales a positive result despite frustrations.
“We didn’t defend perfectly, but we never gave up,” Wilkinson said.
“After years in this role I’ve seen growth; we’re finding ways to stay in the game,” she noted.
“We should be happy now – we’re away, in a hostile environment, and they made it tough,” she added.
Wales thumped Albania 4‑0 in Wrexham, then beat Montenegro 4‑0 in Llanelli and edged the Czech Republic 3‑1 in Cardiff on their way to topping Group B4.
They return to Parc y Scarlets hoping another dominant display secures a spot in the two‑legged final in December.
Wales beat Albania in World Cup play‑off first leg
“Albania felt they were right on the pitch and they were,” Wilkinson explained.
“We must match their energy and exploit the spaces they give us as they push forward,” she warned.
“It’s another battle. I trust my squad, but we must be ready to fight – Albania will be fierce,” she asserted.
Should they advance, Wales are likely to meet Norway, who beat Romania 2‑0 on Friday.
Even if they topple Norway, a 14th‑ranked side, they may still face inter‑confederation play‑offs in February for a World Cup spot in Brazil.