Just a few paragraphs on tonight’s game no one wanted at Cardiff City Stadium where Wales and Northern Ireland played out a predictable draw, although there were two more goals than I was expecting as it finished 1-1.
Joel Colwill was given a first cap in midfield in a team which had less changes to it than I was anticipating, but Dylan Lawlor was one of those to step down, although he came on at half time, helped to improve his team’s performance, only then to go off twenty five minutes later with what looked like a not too serious injury.
Wales made the brighter start with Lewis Koumas forcing Connor Hazard into a save before the Irish began to threaten with a more direct approach which tended to carry more of a threat throughout than the more intricate approach of their opponents.
Wales had looked a little susceptible to crosses played in from the Northern Irish left already before they took the lead through that route as Jamie Donley was left in glorious isolation on the far post to head against the upright and then sweep in te rebound.
Colwill came closest to getting a first half equaliser with a far post header that was blocked by a defender although it looked like it might have been going wide, but he was one of two players who did not come out for the second half – the other being Ben Cabango who was culpable for the goal.
Wales couldn’t have hoped for a better start to the second period as they equalised within a couple of minutes with a lucky goal as David Brooks, Wales’ best player for me, tried a twenty yard shot that got a deflection, then hit Sorba Thomas who managed to control the ball and fire into an empty net from eight yards.
Questions x]could be asked as to whether there was a handball involved and whether it was offside, but replays indicated that it was a fair goal.
That was the prelude for a better Welsh showing, but they only really threatened a winner when Neco Williams’ shot from a short free kick brought a diving save out of sub goalkeeper Pierce Charles and when Harry Wilson’s first time shot flew a couple of feet wide. Northern Ireland sub Eoin Toal came closest to coming up with a winning goal though as his header saw Karl Darlow produce his second great save in four days.
There’s still a couple of friendlies to come in June, but at this stage of the season, you have to ask where that 7-1 rout of North Macedonia came from because it’s been a pretty uninspiring 25/26 for Wales so far..
The feeling of disappointment at the senior team’s failure to qualify for the World Cup was added to by heavy defeats today for the under 21 and under 18 sides. What’s been a poor campaign for the under 21s continued with another thrashing by Denmark who were 6-2 winners in Newport in the autumn. This time it was 4-0 with the Danes taking a decisive grip on proceedings by scoring three times in the first half – Cian Ashford was the only City player to start the game.
Noah Williams and Axel Donczew were in the starting line up for the under 18s who had done well in their four team mini tournament after following up their 0-0 draw against France with a 2-1 win over hosts Switzerland, but they came a cropper against Hungary this afternoon, losing 4-0 to finish third in the group .
In the game Wales would have wanted to be playing tonight, Italy took charge proceedings in Bosnia by scoring after fifteen minutes, only to be reduced to ten men just before half time. Bosnia then levelled things with ten minutes to go, but no goals in extra time means that Bosnia face another penalty shoot out that is going on as I type this – it’s 2-0 to Bosnia at the moment as Italy face a third straight absence from a World Cup – Bosnia win 4-1, an outcome that only increases the what could have been feeling for Welsh fans. Craig Bellamy’s reaction on hearing the news was certainly an honest one!
Thanks Paul for a very fair report.
In my last comment on the Bosnian disappointment, I went on to say that I would not be at all surprised if the Bosnians managed to beat Italy… I sensed the pressure cooker atmosphere of Zenica would unsettle the Italians.
A game quickly forgotten… as is our defeat 4-1 to Wrexham Women the other day…
DW