Wales cruised to a 4-0 win over Albania in Wrexham during their third World Cup qualifying outing.
Forwards Hannah Cain and Elise Hughes helped themselves to the first two goals. Cain notched her second after the interval, alongside veteran Rhiannon Roberts.
The victory puts Wales joint top of their World Cup qualifying table on 7 points – equal with closest competitors Czech Republic.
Wales fly to the Balkans on Saturday for the reverse fixture.
Without Ceri Holland and the benched Hayley Ladd, Wales started as they meant to go on – with positivity and pace.
Griffiths led the break and found Ffion Morgan free as a bird on the right. The West Ham winger’s low cross should have been turned in by Hannah Cain, who was unmarked mere yards out but scuffed it wide.
Moments later, Elise Hughes had acres of space down the right hand side and curved another low ball Cain-wards. Centre-back Armera Tukaj made a hash of her block, giving it straight to the Leicester City striker. Perhaps it caught her unexpected, but she again somehow forced it wide.
The Dragons were quick to return to this attacking formula and, on 15 minutes, it finally paid off.
A lovely long pass from Angharad James-Turner found Griffiths in a pocket on – surprisingly – the right. Griffiths’ ball was driven with more pace and allowed Cain to carve out some more space at the back post. Young goalkeeper Rajmonda Spahija misjudged when to rush out, enabling Cain to make up for her pair of misses with a clever finish.
Albania had some success in the first phase of attacks, often troubling Wales with their high press and putting in some dangerous crosses, though their presence in the box was lacking.
Their defending was also questionable at times as Wales kept hunting for a second. Soon came a wayward pass from Klea Hamonikaj, which Cain picked up and swooped in a cross that keeper Spahija dropped when attempting to catch.
Hughes was waiting for such an eventuality, muscling it back and putting the hosts two goals up.
Cain and Hughes’ interchanges were some of the most intriguing parts of the opening half. Both have seemingly been competing for the No. 9 slot in recent years, but, with the absence of Holland, they were working fluidly in the forward line, along with teenager Griffiths.
A late ball in from Lily Woodham had Cain, Griffiths and Hughes all waiting in a central forward line – a trifecta that already looked well oiled.
There was little let up from Rhian Wilkinson’s side after the break.
On the left flank this time, Griffiths chipped a cross on plate for the surging Rhiannon Roberts. The defender last scored in the heartbreaking loss to Switzerland in the 2023 World Cup play-off but nodded down her third goal in Welsh colours in eleven years of service.
A fourth goal arrived just over five minutes later. A well crafted move out wide culminated in Woodham’s sublime cross into the area, which was instinctively and brilliantly finished by Cain for her second of the night.
Griffiths popped up in a similar position soon after as wave after wave of Welsh attacks kept up down the flanks. The Sunderland forward searched for Cain but, instead, pinged the crossbar herself.
Although all the threat was coming from out wide, Albania had largely improved their defending of central areas. The amount of players needed at the back to achieve this, and Wales averaging over 70% possession, meant that their attacking fortunes had been reduced to all but nothing.
Wales eased the game out by prying for a fifth. The closest coming courtesy of midfielders Charlie Estcourt and Carrie Jones linking up in the box. The former pulled it back to the latter, but Jones dragged it wide.
Following up on her starry turn against Montenegro, Griffiths again showcased her footballing IQ and technical quality, setting up two goals and being key to some of Wales’ finest patterns of play.
The 19-year-old already looks comfortable as part of a Welsh frontline that have benefitted from her boldness and creativity in possession.