[ad_1]
Wales’ winning habit continued with a narrow victory over Bulgaria when Neco Williams scored a spectacular header in injury time in Cardiff.
Liverpool teenager Williams, sent as a substitute in the 65th minute, encountered a Jonny Williams cross at the far post in the fourth minute of injury time.
It was the 19-year-old winger’s first goal in senior football at the back of his great season at Anfield and put the Welshman five points ahead of Ireland before the 5pm kick-off against Finland.
The Dragons had opened their Nations League campaign with a 1-0 win in Finland on Thursday when Ryan Giggs’ team scoffed at several notable absences.
It was Wales’ third consecutive win in a seven-game unbeaten streak, but Gareth Bale and company struggled to find the key to unlocking Bulgaria.
Bale, who has been out at Real Madrid, completed 90 minutes for the first time since January 4, but the country’s top scorer failed to add to his 33-goal tally.
Closer Wales, who held a fourth clean sheet in a row, had reached a goal before Williams’ late intervention when David Brooks hit the wood with 16 minutes remaining.
Williams told Sky Sports: “Finishing it and scoring my first goal for my country is a proud moment for me and my family, and something I will remember for the rest of my life.
“It happened so quickly, debuting and then scoring my first goal for my country, obviously when you’re a kid you dream of playing for your country.”
“Having the opportunity was a surreal moment, and if I keep working hard and showing the coach what I can do, I hope I get my chances.”
FOLLOW IRELAND – FINLAND LIVE
Captain Bale paid tribute to Williams and the impact of young players, but admitted that victory was not easy.
Bale said: “It’s fantastic for him and great for us. We’ve been working to keep going and be patient.”
“They (the young players) have come in and we are trying to teach them what we have learned in the past, and it is a great result for us.
“We weren’t good enough in the first half, we were a little careless, but we had a chat at halftime that we had to pick up the pace and play a little better.”
[ad_2]