Norway Women v Wales Women (Fri)

Euro 2017: Norway Women v Wales Women (Fri)

Euro 2017 qualifying: Norway v Wales
Venue: Aalesund Stadion, Aalesund Date: Friday, 23 October Kick-off: 16:50 BST
Coverage: Live on BBC Sport website.

Wales manager Jayne Ludlow hopes her side will be inspired by the success of the men's team in Friday's Euro 2017 qualifier in Norway.

Norway, past World Cup winners and Olympic champions, are the top seeds in Group 8 and 10th in the world rankings.

Wales are ranked 36th but Ludlow says spirits are high after Chris Coleman's side qualified for Euro 2016.

"Welsh football is a great environment to be in at the moment," said Ludlow before her second competitive game.

"The lads are doing fantastically well – not just the senior side but the youth as well.

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"For us in the women's game, we're at a different stage of development. We're probably in the process now where the lads were eight to 10 years ago.

"Realistically that's where we are, but it's a building process for us in all departments. The positively around the men's team can only help us go forward."

Wales opened the qualifying campaign with a

3-0 loss away to Austria,

while Norway beat Kazakhstan 2-0 away.

The defeat was Ludlow's first competitive game in charge, having won two, drawn two and lost two of the friendly games since succeeding Jarmo Matikainen in October 2014.

"We have a focus and style of play we are trying to implement," she added. "We're not quite there yet.

"The girls have been fantastic and are trying to take in what the coaching team are telling them, but it will take time and we can't speed that up.

"But so far the girls have done everything we've asked them and if they continue to do that success will be around the corner.

"I've got some great people working with me and we're hopefully going to build the department over the next few years to develop a structure in Wales that replicates what the men have done."

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