Wales 4-1 Iceland: Craig Bellamy’s aspect are promoted to prime tier of Nations League as Brennan Johnson, Harry Wilson and a Liam Cullen brace safe thumping victory

Craig Bellamy may hardly have requested for extra from his first six video games as Wales boss.

Due to this win over Iceland and Turkey’s defeat in Montenegro, Wales completed prime of their Nations League group and can tackle a few of Europe’s strongest sides within the subsequent version of the competitors. Even higher, they may nearly actually be assured a World Cup play-off spot if they can not qualify routinely for the event in 2026 by their group.

Having trekked to Podgorica, Reykjavik and Kayseri watching their workforce clinch promotion, they’ll look ahead to going to Paris, Madrid or Rome subsequent time round.

A double from Liam Cullen – his first objectives for Wales – and objectives from Brennan Johnson and Harry Wilson made it an evening to recollect but it began very in another way as Andri Gudjohnsen, son of former Chelsea and Barcelona star Eidur, struck first.

Danny Ward did push away Orri Oskarsson’s point-blank header from Johann Gudmundsson’s cross but did not hold out the follow-up from Gudjohnsen, permitting it to sneak previous him on the close to publish.

Although Wales have been labouring, they drew stage simply after the half-hour mark. Neco Williams fed Johnson on the correct and Cullen sneaked forward of his marker to information dwelling the cross along with his head.

Again got here Iceland. Ben Cabango backpedalled to move Jon Thorsteinsson’s cross off the road and Gudjohnsen blasted over the bar from 12 yards after Isak Johannesson had nodded Thorsteinsson’s supply again into the hazard zone.

But the possibilities have been there for Wales too. Mark Harris gained the ball excessive and slipped in Johnson, whose rising effort was pushed across the publish.

In first-half stoppage time, Harris was concerned once more, sending in Dan James for a shot that was half-stopped by Hakon Valdimarsson. 

The unfastened ball fell completely for Cullen, nevertheless, who tapped in his second.

Iceland had misplaced Oskarsson to damage halfway by the primary half and made one other change at first of the second when Stefan Thordarson changed skipper Gudmundsson. 

Oskarsson’s substitute, Mikael Ellertsson, was denied by Ward quickly after the restart. 

On the different finish, Ben Davies’ header was tipped over.

Thorsteinsson demanded a penalty when his try to show in Gudjohnsen’s cross was blocked by Rodon after which Wilson selected to shoot with Johnson and Harris unmarked. 

The sport was stretched by now and Thorsteinsson wasted one other alternative, this time firing over from shut vary. Amid the chaos, Bellamy was proven a yellow card.

Iceland have been made to remorse their wastefulness halfway by the half. Cullen produced an excellent cross for Johnson who closed in on Valdimarsson and completed confidently to provide Wales a two-goal cushion. 

And it was becoming that Wilson, the star of the early Bellamy period, ought to put the seal on it with a high-quality strike from 20 yards.