Wales hero Woodburn
Woodburn, 17, makes his debut as sub... just five minutes later he’s hero
TEENAGER Ben Woodburn scored a brilliant long-range goal four minutes after coming on against Austria to breathe life into Wales’ World Cup prospects.
The 17-year-old unleashed a fierce 20-yard shot in the 74th minute to send Cardiff City Stadium wild.
The win means Wales have closed the gap on the second-placed Republic of Ireland to two points, with Serbia a further two points clear at the top of Group D.
BEN WOODBURN scored a stunning goal just five minutes into his international debut to give Chris Coleman’s qualification hopes a timely boost.
The Liverpool teenager blasted home a magnificent 74th-minute right-foot drive from the edge of the area just when the Dragons needed it most.
Woodburn, 17, who has sporadically tasted action with Jurgen Klopp’s first team, provided the Dragons with the spark that had been missing in Cardiff.
Wales were struggling to find a breakthrough against a lively and spirited Austrian side who had made plenty of running – without finding a route to goal.
But, with the clock ticking down and a victory desperately required to put pressure on Group D leaders Serbia and Martin O’neill’s Republic of Ireland side, Woodburn announced his arrival into the nation’s consciousness with a truly brilliant moment.
Austria were beginning to look ragged at the back and, after fellow sub Hal Robson-kanu’s cross from the right was cleared to the edge of the area, the ball fell to the youngster.
He controlled before firing a shot with pinpoint accuracy into the bottom corner of the net to leave the City of Cardiff Stadium in raptures.
It was hardly a vintage performance from the Dragons, who had been knocked out of their stride in their search for the win that would have kept their dreams of taking part in Russia next year very much alive. Gareth Bale was desperate to make his mark and Coleman was searching for the breakthrough as the match was entering its final 20 minutes.
New £7million Derby signing Tom Lawrence had enjoyed an encouraging evening without earning himself sight of goal, while Burnley’s Sam Vokes laboured without too much help up front.
But Coleman chose to throw on Woodburn and Robson-kanu.
Wales’ head coach had also made a tactical switch at halftime, shoring up his midfield with Andy King to prevent Bayern Munich’s David Alaba from running riot as he had done during an opening 45 minutes.
And those changes made the difference – with Woodburn providing the stunning difference.
It was just what Wales needed after receiving the news that their rivals Ireland had only secured a point in Georgia. But they looked ragged in the opening half as Alaba, with West Ham bad-boy Marko Arnautovic, looked to have taken a decisive grip on the game.
The duo were in their element as the visitors swarmed all over a rearguard that has normally looked so assured.
The pressing game deployed by the visitors had knocked Wales out of their stride.
Arnautovic, in particular, should have opened the scoring after a neat give-and-go with 10 minutes of the first-half left.
Coleman could have thanked his lucky stars that Wales had not fallen behind by the interval.
After the break, although Wales had looked more comfortable at the back, they were struggling to make a breakthrough until Woodburn’s timely intervention. After that, there was a nervous final few minutes as Coleman’s men – roared on by a sell-out crowd – managed to repel everything thrown at them.
In the end, the final margin of victory could have been bigger.
Bale had a spectacular left-foot overhead scissors kick superbly saved by Heinz Lindner in injury-time – then Robson-kanu’s snapshot thumped the foot of the post from the edge of the area. It wasn’t to be. But Coleman’s changes had affected the game positively.
And the name on the lips of the City of Cardiff crowd was Ben Woodburn.
For the quality of his winning goal, he tnoroughly deserved it.