by On a night when Wales knew they needed fresh blood to fire, how did they deliver. Victory over Finland means that Wales have now won each of their last three semi-finals in Cardiff and if they beat Poland here in Tuesday’s final they will book a place in the Euro 2024 finals in Germany this summer. None of the goalscorers featured at Euro 2016 – many of this lively front line would have been rooting for Wales at school at the time – but each played a significant part in ensuring success with them to reach the third European Championship in a row and the fourth major competition out of five. very much alive.
At the final whistle there was warm applause, a communal acknowledgment of a job well done – in the end Wales blew Finland away after a brief scare – but the celebrations were restrained. Wales manager Rob Page has reason to say that the next few days will be the half-time interval. After all, Poland are waiting after their 10-man demolition of Estonia 5-1 in their semi-final. Unusually, Robert Lewandowski was not on the score sheet. Perhaps the 35-year-old Barcelona striker is keeping his powder dry when it really matters.
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The pick of the goals was an unstoppable free kick from Neco Williams but it was Daniel James, on his 50th appearance, who scored. James waved goodbye to Finland goalkeeper and captain Lukas Hradecky after a terrible error by Finland goalkeeper Miro Tenho. David Brooks opened the scoring early on to give Wales the lead before doubling Wales’ advantage.
Teemu Pukki scored before the break for Finland but Brennan Johnson’s strike two minutes into the second half took the heat out of the game. Because of the apparent changing of the guard, it especially felt that Johnson, who was not part of the squad that made it to the last 16 at the delayed Euro 2020 – and indeed Williams and Brooks, minor players in that tournament – the like. great impact.
A few minutes before kick-off supporters could be forgiven for suffering a flash. After all, Wales has been here before; it’s almost two years since Austria won the World Cup play-off semi-final. Gareth Bale scored twice that night, including a superb free-kick that flew into the top corner. It was fitting, then, that Williams – at the same end – got almost the same spot in remarkably similar style. Williams went in with an emphatic right-footed shot after Harry Wilson backheeled the free-kick into her path.
Wales could hardly have got off to a better start. Page was pumping the double fist in the air within three minutes, after the first real attack ended with the ball in the net. Brooks pounced on the rebound after Wilson’s initial strike was deflected by Hradecky’s left hand. Wilson burst into the box after a brilliant one-two with Tottenham’s Johnson, who was tasked with leading the line. Kieffer Moore, a reliable performer for his country, started among the substitutes.
With half-time approaching, everything was looking rosy. And then Pukki grabbed Finland, bidding to reach just his second major tournament, which was a rescue, forcing a shot into the corner of Danny Ward’s goal. Chris Mepham and Ben Davies, who wore the captain’s armband with Aaron Ramsey on the bench, were guilty of dipping the ball in and Joel Pohjanpalo managed to free Pukki. Mepham tried to knock down Pukki but the striker, now Finland’s top scorer from Minnesota, registered his 40th goal for his country with a superb finish.
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Due to the deflationary end of the first half from the Welsh side, Page called on his team to come forward again without separation. What happened next was the perfect response, Johnson restoring Wales’ two-goal advantage and providing Wales with some breathing space. Wilson’s free-kick flew towards the back post, Ethan Ampadu – who won his 50th cap at the age of 23 – attacked the ball and after Brooks failed to make a clean touch, Johnson hooked it past Hradecky. It is understood that there is much more to come from Johnson in a Wales shirt and although his strike was easily forgotten, it felt like a key goal for his country.
Brooks was on his final descent toward the home dugout when Wilson neared fourth. Brooks left the field to much fanfare, to be replaced by Moore – who has scored some entertaining goals since returning to Ipswich on loan – and was then told off by the Romanian referee, Istvan Kovacs. his closest exit, prompting adulation from the Red Wall in the Canton Stand.
Although stationed at opposite ends of the pitch, that block of enthusiastic Wales supporters had arguably the best view of Williams’ right-footed rocket home in the first half. Hradecky was fouled by Moore and Davies’ header was disallowed late on, by which time the damage had already been done.
