BALE TO THE RESCUE
WALES: 2 AZERBAIJAN: 1
GARETH Bale’s late winner spared Wales’ blushes as they kept their Euro 2020 qualification hopes alive with a gritty win over Azerbaijan.
Ryan Giggs’ side struggled to create clear cut openings for long periods and were left frustrated at times by the approach of the visitors.
They took the lead in hugely fortunate circumstances though as Pavlo Pashayev inexplicably turned into his own net.
Wales continued to see more of the ball, but created precious little.
And they were duly punished just before the hour mark as Mahir Emreli
slotted beyond Wayne Hennessey.
But Bale spared Wales’ blushes with a header in the 84th minute as Wales claimed their second win of the campaign.
The Red Dragons made five changes from the defeat to Hungary in June, with Giggs selecting an entirely different back four to the one that started in Budapest.
Neil Taylor, Chris Mepham and Connor Roberts returned to the line up, while Joe Rodon was handed his international debut following his magnificent start to the season with Swansea City.
The other alteration saw Harry Wilson replace the injured David Brooks.
And it was Bournemouth man Wilson’s free-kick that almost saw Rodon make a dream start to life with the senior team after Daniel James had been tripped by Gara Garayev, but the Swansea man could only volley over at the back post.
Wales remained on the front foot and saw Tom Lawrence fire wide, although Azerbaijan carried a threat on the break.
Wilson was perhaps fortunate to escape punishment after leaving his mark on Richard Almeida midway through the first half, and the Red Wall were starting to feel the nerves as Wales struggled to break down a resilient Azerbaijan side.
But those concerns were eased just before the half-hour mark as the home side took the lead in bizarre fashion.
Bale – captaining his country in the absence of Ashley Williams – saw his shot blocked, and the looping ball landed on the head of Pashayev before trickling into the open net after Salahat Agayev was left stranded having come to collect.
It was the slice of luck Giggs so desperately craved.
But it didn’t prove to be the catalyst the manager would have hoped for as Nikola Jurcevic’s side stuck to task.
James fizzed in a teasing cross along the six-yard box, although no one took the gamble to tap home.
Emreli was then fortunate not to feel the wrath of referee Trustin Farrugia Cann after an altercation with Mepham,
one that the Bournemouth man was clearly angered with.
And it wasn’t until Lawrence’s strike in first half injury time that Wales managed a shot on target, something Giggs no doubt will have spoken to his troops about at the interval.
But the 50 or so die-hards that made the long trip from Azerbaijan were the only ones you could hear 13 minutes into the second half as Wales were punished in devastating fashion for committing a catalogue of errors.
Taylor’s sloppy pass allowed Ramil Sheyadev to send Emreli through on goal, and after Hennessey could only palm the Azerbaijan man’s placed shot back into the middle of the goal, Emreli was able to tap home.
The home fans rallied in an attempt to help drag Wales to the levels they expected. And they almost had reason to cheer as James’ cross was flicked on by Wilson, but Lawrence couldn’t add the decisive touch at the back post.
James fired an effort just wide from the edge of the 18-yard box before Joe Allen’s rasping effort was blocked as the Red Wall grew increasingly restless.
Euro 2016 heroes Jonny Williams, Sam Vokes and Ben Davies were all sent on as Giggs chased the game.
And it was another star from the France tournament that had the chance to rescue his side as Bale stepped up to take a free-kick from 20 yards out after Williams had been fouled, although his effort struck the wall.
But the Real Madrid man made the telling impact six minutes from time as his header just about crept over the line despite the best efforts of Azerbaijan captain Medvedev.
The away side had two final chances to stun Wales as they won a free-kick in the first minute of injury time, but Sheyadev’s effort struck the wall before Agabala Ramazanov had a shot saved as Wales claimed their second win in Group E with four fixtures played.
Wales: Hennessey; Roberts, Mepham, Rodon, Taylor (B Davies 80); Allen, Ampadu (Vokes 75); Wilson (J Williams 63), T Lawrence, James; Bale (C). Subs not used: Ward, A Davies, Gunter, Smith, Moore, J Lawrence,
Brennan Johnson marked his Wales Under-21 debut with the only goal as his side beat Belgium 1-0 in a European Championship qualifier at Wrexham’s Racecourse Ground.
Wales took the lead after just five minutes through Nottingham Forest midfielder Johnson.
MK Dons defender Regan Poole went close with a header two minutes later before Barry Town goalkeeper George Ratcliffe denied Belgium with a fine save from a corner.
Johnson missed from close range with a chance to double his side’s lead just before half-time.
Dan Mooney just failed to get a touch to a Mark Harris cross with an hour gone and the latter chipped over 20 minutes later.
Ratcliffe pulled off a stunning save to keep Belgium at bay with four minutes remaining as Wales did enough to take the win.