In a nail-biting match, David Brooks secured an essential victory for Wales during six minutes of second-half stoppage time. The audible relief from thousands of Wales supporters was evident when Danny Ward successfully claimed a free-kick just moments before the final whistle. Despite hoping for a one-nil win, Wales had to fight hard for their victory, which has reignited their chances for automatic qualification. Aaron Ramsey’s 100th senior career goal, scored from a penalty, opened the scoring for Wales, but they also faced some tense moments during the game.
The anticipation built as a 15-second countdown to kick-off appeared on the big screen in the no-frills stadium near the old town. Rob Page, who acknowledged the negative views surrounding his team, and the scrutiny he faced regarding his future, must have wondered if this would be his final game as coach. After all, Wales had only won one of their previous 13 matches, with a less than convincing 1-0 victory against Latvia in March.
Wales needed a strong start, and they delivered. Brennan Johnson missed a chance just a minute into the game, and Chris Mepham’s powerful block led to a corner after the ball deflected off Latvia midfielder Janis Ikaunieks. From that set piece, Ethan Ampadu sent a header over the goal. A few minutes later, Ben Davies had Wales’s first shot on target, forcing a save from Roberts Ozols with a cushioned header from another corner. Johnson then evaded Kristers Tobers but failed to hit the target with his shot.
Connor Roberts tested Ozols with a header from a Neco Williams cross, resulting in a fantastic save. Roberts played a crucial role in opening the scoring for Wales. Ramsey played a diagonal pass to Roberts, who skillfully prevented it from going out of play and sent a high ball towards Harry Wilson. Dubra clumsily barged into Wilson in the box, resulting in a penalty. Ramsey confidently took the shot, perfectly placing the ball past Ozols, and celebrated with his teammates in the corner. The energy and excitement from the Wales supporters could be felt throughout the stadium.
Despite Wales’s dominant possession and scoring the first goal, they weren’t able to capitalize on their opportunities. Williams chose to cut inside instead of shooting, and Johnson missed another chance after a pass from Ramsey. Moments later, Wilson’s shot was saved. But as half-time approached, Latvia started to pose a threat. Ward saved a shot from Ikaunieks, and although he flapped at the subsequent corner, Latvia’s Raimonds Krollis was unable to convert the chance. Ikaunieks attempted a teasing pass into the box, but Krollis couldn’t make a connection.
Wales struggled to regain control in the second half, especially after Ramsey left the field in the 49th minute. By the time David Brooks replaced him, the dynamics of the game had already shifted. Wales had some chances through James and Johnson, but they were unable to find the back of the net. Krollis also had a chance, but his shot missed the post. Williams and Brooks missed golden opportunities before Brooks finally secured the win for Wales. However, Latvia almost equalized towards the end of normal time when Ikaunieks had a clear chance to shoot, but his powerful left-footed strike hit the side netting, much to the relief of the Welsh team.
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