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Uefa Women's Nations League: Wales v Sweden
Venue: Stok Racecourse, Wrexham Date: Tuesday, 25 February Kick-off: 19:15 GMT
Coverage: Live on BBC One Wales, iPlayer, BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru, the BBC Sport website and app, plus live text commentary
Highlights: S4C, 22:00 GMT and later on demand.
Rhian Wilkinson feels football in the women's game is getting "tighter" as she prepares her Wales side to face Sweden in the Nations League.
Wales produced a spirited display but were ultimately beaten 1-0 by Italy courtesy of Barbara Bonansea's early header in their Nations League opener at Stadio Brianteo on Friday night.
The task ahead gets no easier, as Wales host back-to-back World Cup bronze medallists Sweden - currently ranked fifth in the world - in their first home game of the campaign in Wrexham on Tuesday night (19:15 GMT).
Despite showing positive signs against the Italians, Wilkinson admits Wales will have to improve their levels against Sweden - who started their campaign with a 2-1 win over Denmark.
"All of the games in League A are going to be fantastic tests. Sweden are a very good team, I'm surprised they didn't finish as first seed in the group," said the Wales boss.
"Anyone could have been first in our group, it was tight. The results from the last game day, there was only one goal in all of the matches. Football in the women's game is getting tighter.
"Sweden are a fantastic team, really strong in a lot of areas. We're going to have to, not only put in a similar performance as against Italy, but up our performance against Sweden."
Mayzee Davies was handed her first start for Wales against Italy and won the Welsh Player of the Match award.
Mared Griffiths also made her debut in the Monza defeat as Wilkinson continued to stick to her promise of developing her squad with an eye on this summer's Euros.
"We said early on that we wouldn't qualify for the Euros if the least experienced members of the team didn't feel as worthy of qualifying as the most experienced," added Wilkinson.
"That is a hard thing to do. These women have been trying to achieve this goal for years.
"It's a massive testament to the more senior players on the team for how they've made them feel such an important piece of the team very quickly.
"We have young players stepping on the field and they don't play frightened."
Wales are unbeaten on home soil under Wilkinson and are expected to be backed by the biggest home crowd outside of Cardiff when they take to the field against Sweden.
Despite planning ahead for group stage matches against Netherlands, France and England at Euro 2025, Wilkinson stressed the Wrexham crowd will see a side that will be set up to secure a positive result against Sweden.
"At no point have I said that these (Nations League) games and results don't matter, they do matter," added Wilkinson.
"We're out to win every game we play. Equally, I will not be a coach that sacrifices the team's development just because I'll do anything for the win."
Hayley Ladd was handed the honour of captaining Wales in their Nations League opener against Italy on Friday night on her landmark 100th cap - becoming only the 10th centurion for her country in the process.
Angharad James will resume her captaincy duties for the visit of Sweden on Tuesday night, and the 30-year-old was keen to remind her team-mates of the tests that lie ahead of Wales before they travel to Switzerland for the Euros in July.
"Firstly, I just want to congratulate Hayley on her 100th cap, it's an unbelievable achievement. She's a great leader and person within the group," said the Seattle Reign midfielder.
"It was important to me and to Rhian that we gave that opportunity to Hayley to do that.
"But my message for the group, we've got one eye on Switzerland but each game is a test for us too.
"We know Sweden are a very good team, a lot of the girls play week in week out against a lot of their opposition so we know them very well, it'll be a tough game, but one we're all looking forward to."
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