Date: Saturday 29th July 2006.

Women's UEFA Cup 2006/07

Cardiff City Ladies FC begin the new season with another trip into Europe. They travel to Croatia in an attempt to qualify for the group stages of the UEFA Womens Cup Competition for the first time.

The recent qualifying draw made at UEFA headquarters in Switzerland has pitted the Welsh Champions against some stiff opposition. Cardiff were seeded second and will take on top seeds Saestum (Holland), the host team ŽNK Dinamo Maksimir (Croatia) and the unknown quantity of Republic of Ireland Champions, Dundalk WFC.

This will be Cardiff's fourth successive season competing in the Women's UEFA Cup, for which they qualified as Welsh Cup champions. A tournament that have won for the past four seasons, a feat not before accomplished in the history of the tournament.

Club Captain, Caroline Cooper said "This is going to be another tough challenge in the UEFA Cup. Dinamo Maksimir and Saestum have decent European pedigree. Dundalk will be an unknown quantity as this will be the first time anyone has seen anything of them at this level. This will be excellent preparation for our league campaign."

The first round, to be played between the 8th and 13th August, consists of nine groups of four teams. The winners of each section will progress to join the seeded teams in four second-round groups, also comprising four teams, which are scheduled for 12th to the 17th September.

Cardiff have strengthened in preparation for their first season in the Women's Premier League when they compete in the Nationwide National Division come August, having won the National League Southern Division last season.

Cardiff have recently signed Arsenal and under 19's goalkeeper Lauren Wells, striker Ruth Waghorn from Langford and two Watford players Dana Hinton and Miranda Hall, along with Welsh Under 19's midfield player Amie Lea from Swansea City.

Coach Michele Adams said "I am pleased that we have been able to attract such a high calibre of players, this will give us more strength in depth for our league games. Our pre- season preparation is going really well, the girls have worked incredibly hard, we have picked up a couple of injuries over the past couple of days but with just over a week to go before we fly out to Croatia I am confident that we will be at full strength".

Cardiff played a pre season friendly last sunday with a 2-1 victory over Reading Royals, the two goals were scored by striker Gwennan Harries who has fully recovered from a fractured wrist.The 18 year-old was injured after falling awkward towards the end of a Wales under 19's UEFA qualifying match at the end of April against the Czech Republic in Horni Pocernice

City will also have available winger Fern Burrage, despite her dubious sending off in the Welsh Cup final, her suspension will only be for domestic matches, which means she will be eligible to play in Croatia, but will miss the first two matches of the league season.