DRAGONS ON POLE

But after knocking out a poor Finnish side, Wales must now beat the king of the finishers

ROB PAGE’S Red Dragons passed their first play-off test with distinction as qualification for the European Championship moved a giant step closer.

The opening part of the potential double-header afforded them comfortable passage to a decider next Tuesday against Poland after their young guns proved too hot for the Finns to handle.

Goals before the break from David Brooks and Neco Williams laid the platform and, even though the evergreen Teemu Pukki briefly caused doubts by reducing the arrears on the stroke of half-time, Brennan Johnson’s early second-half strike put the hosts in control.

Substitute Daniel James confirmed the victory when he capitalised on a late defensive howler to send a sell-out crowd home happy.

Wales now must beat the Poles – and star striker Robert Lewandowski – in Cardiff on Tuesday to qualify for their third successive Euros and the first one without the influence of Gareth Bale.

It was a mature show from Page’s young side, who profited from weak defending but were in little danger almost from the off.

If Page caused a few eyebrows to be raised beforehand with his choice of Brooks ahead of Kieffer Moore, they were lowered when the striker opened the scoring inside the first 140 seconds.

He benefitted after Harry Wilson darted inside and played a one-two with Johnson.

The Fulham man collected possession and placed a shot across Lukas Hradecky. The Bayer Leverkusen shot-stopper could only palm the ball in the air to Brooks, who adjusted his body superbly before firing on the full into the net from 10 yards.

Page could not have wished for better. And while the early goal settled any nerves inside the City of Cardiff Stadium, it also focused Finland’s minds.

Former Norwich City talisman Pukki was still proving himself a handful and his header set up Daniel Hakans for a tricky chance on the half-volley that was blazed over.

In the first half-hour, Danny Ward’s goal had come under the more sustained pressure as the Finns played keep-ball without

causing too many problems, although a misplaced Chris Mepham pass almost allowed veteran Pukki through.

The value of that was highlighted seconds later when Johnson was hauled over by centre-half Miro Tenho on the edge of the area. Taking the freekick, Wilson ran across the ball and used his studs to roll it perfectly into Williams’s path. The sidefoot finish from the Nottingham Forest man was perfectly placed out of Hradecky’s reach.

The half-time cuppa would have tasted far better in the home dressing-room had they managed to keep their goal intact. But Pukki dragged a goal back as the interval approached. Two red shirts converged on Joel Pohjanpalo’s through-ball but failed to cut it out and the veteran slotted past Ward.

That caused a few heart flutters in the home crowd but the two-goal advantage was restored a few moments later.

Wilson’s free-kick from deep was nodded back across goal by Ethan Ampadu – making his 50th appearance – and Brooks mis-hit the attempt on goal.

But Johnson was loitering at the far post and tapped into an empty net. James’s late goal capped a thoroughly satisfactory night to leave Page and his men dreaming of a German summer.