Nations League: Rafferty out of NI squad for Romania double header
Nottingham Forest defender Natalie Johnson comes in
Rangers defender Laura Rafferty is out of the Northern Ireland squad for the upcoming Nations League double header against Romania due to injury.
She will be replaced in the panel by Nottingham Forest Women defender Natalie Johnson.
Northern Ireland Manager Tanya Oxtoby said: “Laura has sustained an injury, which means that she will stay at her club and look to rehabilitate and get herself back to full fitness. We wish Laura a swift recovery.
“It means Nat Johnson comes into the squad. She has been playing consistently well for her club, so we’re delighted to be able to bring her back in.
Oxtoby has also brought in 16-year-old goalkeeper Abbie Smith, who plays for Northern Ireland’s Under-17s and has just signed for Manchester City from Crusaders Strikers, as a training player this week.
Northern Ireland are currently in Leicester and are due to face the Romanians in League B Group 1 on Friday April 4 at the Stadionul Arcul de Triumf in Buchares.
The sides then meet back in Belfast next Tuesday, April 8, at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park.
Northern Ireland lie second in the B1 group on three points behind Poland on six points, after defeat against the Poles away and a win over Bosnia and Herzegovina at home in their opening group fixtures.
Former England international Izzy Christiansen, as she did last month, has joined the regular coaching staff to put the players through their paces at Leicester City’s training ground until Wednesday when they fly out to Romania.