Wales 4-1 Finland: David Brooks and Brennan Johnson strike early in every half as hosts transfer a step nearer to qualifying for Euro 2024… with Rob Web page’s aspect to face Poland in play-off ultimate in Cardiff

Brash Rob Web page issued a defiant message to Robert Lewandowski and Poland as Wales moved inside 90 minutes of a spot at Euro 2024 by sweeping apart Finland.

Lewandowski’s males stand between Wales and qualification for a 3rd straight match and Web page is filled with confidence.

‘Deliver it on,’ mentioned Web page. ‘I can’t anticipate Tuesday. What extra motivation do we’d like than to be one win away from one other main match? The boys shall be prepared.

‘We now have a youthful, fitter squad than earlier than and now we have a hell of an opportunity to qualify. We now have quite a lot of younger gamers however additionally they have loads of expertise now. If we will reproduce how we performed in opposition to Croatia and Turkey within the group, the consequence will deal with itself.

‘We’ve been there, picked the resort and bought the coaching floor. We’re able to go to Germany. We simply want yet another consequence to get throughout the road.’

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But this recreation was as a lot an indictment of UEFA’s bloated 24-team match because it was a celebration of Web page and his gamers. As of late it feels tougher to overlook out on worldwide competitions than it does to achieve them.

Targets from David Brooks, Neco Williams, Brennan Johnson and substitute Dan James have been sufficient to see Wales but how a group as poor as Finland can get this near reaching the Finals beggars perception. They briefly gave themselves an opportunity when Teemu Pukki scored simply earlier than half-time but threw that away by conceding the third lower than two minutes after the break.

Pukki, Glen Kamara and Nikolai Alho apart, the Finns appeared no higher than a League One group. By making spots out there by each qualifying and the Nations League, UEFA threat devaluing their elite match.

Think about this: Wales completed third of their group behind Turkey and Croatia, but entered the play-offs because of Nations League performances and landed a house tie in opposition to Markku Kanerva’s plodders. Poland are a a lot harder proposition but when Wales qualify, it can have been not a lot through the again door as beneath the backyard gate and thru the cat flap. Not that they are going to care.

In entrance of the Cardiff crowd, you’ll be courageous to again in opposition to them despatching Poland, too. The house followers have been in very good voice right here, delivering all of the previous hits to create an environment that may intimidate groups higher than Finland.

Wales followers are accustomed to being put by the wringer by their group however this time they seized the lead nearly instantly. Harry Wilson performed a one-two with Ethan Ampadu and although Lukas Hradecky palmed away his shot, the ball fell completely for Brooks to volley into an unguarded internet.

With Brooks, Wilson and Johnson a cellular entrance three, Wales have been at their simplest when breaking on the Finns.

But Wales did swap off on the again sometimes. Daniel Hakans volleyed Ahlo’s knock-down over and Pukki was allowed to run on to a easy ball excessive from Robert Ivanov, solely to steer his effort too near Danny Ward.

Shortly earlier than the half-hour, Hakans trod on the ball when teed up in a nice place and the follow-up from Joel Pohjanpalo was blocked. On the different finish, Wilson noticed a 30-yard effort pushed away earlier than Chris Mepham’s misplaced go fell straight to Pukki, who couldn’t take benefit.

Moments later, Wales have been two up. Johnson was introduced down on the sting of the field, Wilson arrange Williams from the free-kick and the Nottingham Forest man discovered the highest nook.

By now Wales will need to have felt they’d one foot within the play-off ultimate but quickly they have been bracing themselves for a tough second half. Pohjanpalo turned Ahlo’s go into the trail of Pukki and the previous Norwich man slid the ball previous Ward to convey his group again into the sport.

But the house aspect’s nerves have been calmed barely a minute within the second half. Wilson’s free-kick was nodded again throughout aim by Ampadu and though Brooks miskicked, Johnson was performed onside and tapped in from two yards.

Their two-goal cushion restored, Wales knew there can be loads of area on the break and Wilson might need scored a fourth quickly after Kieffer Moore had changed Brooks up entrance. The Fulham man drifted inside on to his left foot and simply missed the goal from 20 yards.

Regardless that they’d loads of peak on the again, Finland have been oddly weak from set items and so it proved once more within the eightieth minute as Hradecky bought each fingers to Davies’ header however couldn’t cease it creeping over the road. 

The Finns embarrassment was spared when the aim was disallowed for a foul after a VAR examine however this was by no means going to alter the result. And positive sufficient, the fourth arrived when James robbed a dawdling Miro Tenho, rounded Hradecky and slotted residence.