North Wales girl scores a double on Manchester United debut!

North Wales student Mared Griffiths scored twice on her debut for Manchester United in the FA Cup tonight.

The 17-year-old from Trawsfynydd dazzled with a late double as holders United whipped Wolverhampton Wanderers 6-0 at the New Bucks Head Stadium in Shropshire.

Griffiths came on in the 81st minute for Melvine Malard to make her full first team debut.

She took advantage of a mistake by home keeper Bec Thomas to tap into the net on 88 minutes and then swivelled to volley through the custodian for a second goal in added time.

A student at Coleg Meirion Dwyfor’s Dolgellau campus, Griffiths is a Wales Under-17 and Under-19 cap who in March 2024 was called up to the full national team for the first time for UEFA Euro 2025 qualifying games against Croatia and Kosovo.

She was recalled to the senior team for qualifying matches in June and later qualifying play-offs against Slovakia and the Republic of Ireland, the latter resulting in Wales qualifying for Euro 2025 – their first-ever major tournament.

Making such an impactive debut for United can only help her chances of getting a full international debut for Rhian Wilkinson’s side in the near future.

Griffiths played for the FAW North Academy before in July 2024, moving to Manchester United to join the club’s under-21 academy team.

She was named to a senior matchday squad for the first time on 11 December 2024, as an unused substitute in a League Cup group stage match against Newcastle United.

However, Saturday, February 8, marked her Manchester United debut – and what a start it proved to be!