Finland 0-1 Wales
A late goal from Kieffer Moore gave Ryan Giggs’ Wales a welcome victory in their opening Nations League match tonight, against a well organised Finland in Helsinki.
This UEFA Nations League match had all the hallmarks of a tight affair on paper, and on grass, it turned out to be exactly that! The teams were taking the pitch for the first time since 2019 and in a hard-fought game of few chances there were some tired legs as the match progressed, but the visitors kept going to take advantage.
The Finland vs Wales betting odds here at SBOTOP had the Welsh at 2.32 to win, but Finland boss Markku Kanerva will be disappointed to be on the wrong end of this result.
Highlights of the game
Wales had the ball in the Finland net with just four minutes on the clock and it was a nice move started by Ben Davies who sent Dan James on his way, and when the Manchester United winger found Kieffer Moore with a cross, the Wigan man stooped to head home. But Wales’ celebrations were short-lived as the linesman flagged, quite rightly, having seen Moore push Sauli Vaisanen to make space.
Finland had their opening chance two minutes later with a free-kick opportunity which was curled into the danger area but Joel Pohjanpalo was caught by surprise and the striker poked the ball wide. Wales were back on the attack quickly and when James fired in a low cross Juhani Ojala almost turned the ball into his own net but keeper Lukas Hradecky got down well to save, and he kept Gareth Bale out before he could convert the loose ball.
Hradecky has built himself quite a reputation in the Bundesliga, starring for Bayer Leverkusen in a memorable victory over the mighty FC Bayern. And he showed good hands again tonight when Moore had a chance with a header.
Norwich City striker Teemu Pukki has been in fine form for club and country, scoring nine times in Finland’s successful Euro qualifying campaign, and he managed to get a crisp shot away only to see it deflected wide.
Moore’s disallowed effort was the closest either side came in the opening 45 minutes as Finland snuffed out any threat Wales could pose. Gareth Bale did little to suggest he could open up the Finland defence and he was replaced at the start of the second half by Harry Wilson.
While Bale’s future at Real Madrid remains uncertain and the pre-match Finland vs Wales news reports were speculating on his future, the Welsh fans would have hoped for more, as they knew full well that when Wales win it’s usually because Bale has scored.
And any worries they had were almost compounded when Finland came within a whisker of scoring. Pohjanpalo met a corner with a superb header back across the six-yard box and Vaisanen hit it first time but his effort from four yards out crashed back off the post. Finland were in the ascendancy but failed to take advantage and Wales settled back into the game, but they too struggled to make an opening.
It looked for all the world like a goalless draw and then, with ten minutes to go Moore got his goal. It was the same combination as when his effort which was chalked off at the start of the game. Davies set James free with a fine through ball and his low cross was inch perfect for Moore to slide home past a helpless Hradecky.
Key statistics
Wales ended a four-game winless streak against Finland tonight but it didn’t come easily.
Finland had the majority of possession, 54 per cent, and won the shot count by six to three, but the telling statistic is that Wales had the only shot on target.
And the Welsh have won three on the bounce for the first time under Giggs, and are now seven matches unbeaten.
What’s next?
The Republic of Ireland and Bulgaria make up Group B4, and they met tonight at the Vasil Levski National Stadium in Sofia in a game which finished 1-1 as the Irish snatched an injury-time equaliser.
On Sunday Wales host Bulgaria while Finland head to the Republic of Ireland before the opening three rounds are completed on Sunday 11th. After coming so close tonight Finland might fancy their chances of a shut-out against the Irish, who had fewer shots (22) than any other side in the 2018/19 UEFA Nations League.
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