' MATCH REPORTS WALES V CYPRUS & TABLE '
Mon Oct 13, 2014 8:47 pm
Chris Coleman's men top Euro 2016 Group B as Gareth Bale inspires win Fans singing "We are top of the league/group". 21,273 very happy fans going home from the Cardiff City Stadium
Wales 2 Cyprus 1
Cotterill 13′ Robson-Kanu 23′
Laban 36′
FT 90 +5
HT 2-1
' Other Results '
Bosnia 1 Belgium 1
Andorra 1 Israel 4
13th October 2014
Church suffers shoulder injury after six minutes
Goals from Cotterill and Robson-Kanu put Wales 2-0 up
Laban scores direct from a free-kick for Cyprus
Wales' King shown straight red card after 47 minutes
Wales remained top of Euro 2016 Qualifying Group B with a hard-fought victory against Cyprus in Cardiff.
Substitute David Cotterill's floated free-kick from the left wing drifted into the net to put Wales ahead.
Hal Robson-Kanu then doubled the hosts' advantage after racing on to a clever Gareth Bale flick and calmly finishing.
Cyprus pulled one back through Vincent Laban's free-kick and Wales' Andy King was sent off for a dangerous challenge, but his side held on
Wales head into their Brussells showdown with Belgium leading Euro 2016 qualifying Group B after hanging on for a 2-1 win with 10 men against Cyprus.
On a night when the Cypriots set the tone for a Battle Royale with some tough treatment of Real Madrid star Gareth Bale, it was Chris Coleman's in-form Welsh team who had to hang onto their 2-1 lead for most of the second half after Andy King was sent off.
Man-of-the-match Bale caused the visitors problems all night but goals from substitute David Cotterill and Hal Robson-Kanu made Wales' start to their current qualifying group a brilliant one, even though Vincent Laban's goal made the result closer than it needed to be.
But with Belgium and Bosnia drawing, Wales lead the way and are on target for the top two finish that will guarantee their place in France in 2016.
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Re: ' MATCH REPORTS WALES V CYPRUS & TABLE '
Tue Oct 14, 2014 4:52 pm
Wales Official Match Report
' Wales Defeat Cyprus in tense encounter '
Ten man Wales produced a magnificent defiant display to maintain their position at the head of Euro 2016 group B, still unbeaten after three matches and with real hopes now of qualification.
Wales had stormed into a two goal lead and could have had a few more before Cyprus pulled one back before the break.
The game changed dramatically minutes into the second period when Andy King was sent-off. From then on, Wales were forced into furious defence, protecting their slender lead, and the fact that they achieved their goal says much for the team spirit now deeply ingrained into this young side by boss Chris Coleman.
With Jonathan Williams, badly battered during the Bosnia game on Friday, out injured, Wales opted for Fulham’s 19 year-old George Williams, who came in for his fourth cap. Wales also opted for a back four and left out Ben Davies, allowing Coleman to play an extra forward in Hal Robson-Kanu.
Wales got off to a very unfortunate start losing Simon Church after just one minute. He was heavily shoved to the ground by Charis Kyriakou, an incident not punished by German referee Manuel Grafe. The Charlton striker fell badly on his left shoulder, and after lengthy treatment was helped off to the dressing room, David Cotterill coming on as substitute.
Three minutes later Gareth Bale was crudely cut down in full flow by Marios Nikolaou, who was booked for the foul with Wales players furious over the challenge. Bale got up to fire in a dipping 25 yard free-kick that Tasos Kissas saved at the second attempt.
But Wales were ahead on 13 minutes. Cotterill’s dangerous, swirling ball in from the left evaded Robson-Kanu’s dive and sailed into the far corner with Kissas flat-footed. Bale soon had Kissas flapping again, another low drive being fumbled away.
Wales were clicking into gear now, and flying at the Cypriot defence. A second was on the cards and it arrived after 23 minutes. King’s accurate long pass out of defence was met with a stunning Bale flick that sent Robson-Kanu clean through the defence to drill the ball under Kissas.
Cyprus lost full-back Dossa Junior to injury, replaced by Angelis Angelis after 29 minutes. Six minutes later saw the visitors back in the game after Cotterill was booked for a foul on Kyriakou, and when Vincent Laban’s swirling free-kick came into a packed six yard box, Wayne Hennessey could get only a touch of his gloves on the ball as it found the far corner.
Angelis was soon booked for a foul on Williams, and Bale’s 25 yard free-kick was clawed away by Kisssas, with Joe Ledley seeing his follow-up header cleared off the line by Giorgos Merkis. Cotterill and Bale could both have added to the score in first-half injury time.
It had been a pulsating first-half, and Wales will have been kicking themselves for not maintaining their two-goal lead, or even extending it, so much of the attacking had flowed from them.
Wales’ concerns worsened two minutes into the second period when King was sent-off for a challenge on Constantinos Makridis, which connected with the Cyprus captain’s ankle right in front of referee Grafe.
The whole complexion of the game had now changed. Wales sent on an extra midfielder, Wolves’ David Edwards and the energetic George Williams was sacrificed. Bale had virtually a free role, with Cotterill and Robson-Kanu pushed back into midfield.
Cyprus then had Pieros Sotiriou booked for an off the ball incident with Ashley Williams, before Nektarios Alexandrou came on for Marios Nikolaou as the visitors continued to press.
Wales chances had diminished, but Bale did get away to roll a shot agonisingly along the line from an acute angle.
Cyprus were getting closer, and George Efrem headed over from six yards out, unmarked.Wales then replaced Robson-Kanu with Jake Taylor, the Reading man winning his first cap. Cyprus sent on Andreas Papathanasiou for |Angelis before Kyriakou was booked for bringing down Bale on the edge of the box, and then Markis for body checking the Wales hero.
In those final, dramatic minutes, Edwards was booked for a foul and Bale won three consecutive corners in a keep-ball session by the corner flag.
Four minutes of injury time dragged, but the 21,273 crowd erupted when the final whistle went and Bale, who had seen three Cypriots booked for fouling him, stood in the centre of the pitch and screamed his delight into the night sky.
' Wales Defeat Cyprus in tense encounter ' Ten man Wales produced a magnificent defiant display to maintain their position at the head of Euro 2016 group B, still unbeaten after three matches and with real hopes now of qualification.
Wales had stormed into a two goal lead and could have had a few more before Cyprus pulled one back before the break.
The game changed dramatically minutes into the second period when Andy King was sent-off. From then on, Wales were forced into furious defence, protecting their slender lead, and the fact that they achieved their goal says much for the team spirit now deeply ingrained into this young side by boss Chris Coleman.
With Jonathan Williams, badly battered during the Bosnia game on Friday, out injured, Wales opted for Fulham’s 19 year-old George Williams, who came in for his fourth cap. Wales also opted for a back four and left out Ben Davies, allowing Coleman to play an extra forward in Hal Robson-Kanu.
Wales got off to a very unfortunate start losing Simon Church after just one minute. He was heavily shoved to the ground by Charis Kyriakou, an incident not punished by German referee Manuel Grafe. The Charlton striker fell badly on his left shoulder, and after lengthy treatment was helped off to the dressing room, David Cotterill coming on as substitute.
Three minutes later Gareth Bale was crudely cut down in full flow by Marios Nikolaou, who was booked for the foul with Wales players furious over the challenge. Bale got up to fire in a dipping 25 yard free-kick that Tasos Kissas saved at the second attempt.
But Wales were ahead on 13 minutes. Cotterill’s dangerous, swirling ball in from the left evaded Robson-Kanu’s dive and sailed into the far corner with Kissas flat-footed. Bale soon had Kissas flapping again, another low drive being fumbled away.
Wales were clicking into gear now, and flying at the Cypriot defence. A second was on the cards and it arrived after 23 minutes. King’s accurate long pass out of defence was met with a stunning Bale flick that sent Robson-Kanu clean through the defence to drill the ball under Kissas.
Cyprus lost full-back Dossa Junior to injury, replaced by Angelis Angelis after 29 minutes. Six minutes later saw the visitors back in the game after Cotterill was booked for a foul on Kyriakou, and when Vincent Laban’s swirling free-kick came into a packed six yard box, Wayne Hennessey could get only a touch of his gloves on the ball as it found the far corner.
Angelis was soon booked for a foul on Williams, and Bale’s 25 yard free-kick was clawed away by Kisssas, with Joe Ledley seeing his follow-up header cleared off the line by Giorgos Merkis. Cotterill and Bale could both have added to the score in first-half injury time.
It had been a pulsating first-half, and Wales will have been kicking themselves for not maintaining their two-goal lead, or even extending it, so much of the attacking had flowed from them.
Wales’ concerns worsened two minutes into the second period when King was sent-off for a challenge on Constantinos Makridis, which connected with the Cyprus captain’s ankle right in front of referee Grafe.
The whole complexion of the game had now changed. Wales sent on an extra midfielder, Wolves’ David Edwards and the energetic George Williams was sacrificed. Bale had virtually a free role, with Cotterill and Robson-Kanu pushed back into midfield.
Cyprus then had Pieros Sotiriou booked for an off the ball incident with Ashley Williams, before Nektarios Alexandrou came on for Marios Nikolaou as the visitors continued to press.
Wales chances had diminished, but Bale did get away to roll a shot agonisingly along the line from an acute angle.
Cyprus were getting closer, and George Efrem headed over from six yards out, unmarked.Wales then replaced Robson-Kanu with Jake Taylor, the Reading man winning his first cap. Cyprus sent on Andreas Papathanasiou for |Angelis before Kyriakou was booked for bringing down Bale on the edge of the box, and then Markis for body checking the Wales hero.
In those final, dramatic minutes, Edwards was booked for a foul and Bale won three consecutive corners in a keep-ball session by the corner flag.
Four minutes of injury time dragged, but the 21,273 crowd erupted when the final whistle went and Bale, who had seen three Cypriots booked for fouling him, stood in the centre of the pitch and screamed his delight into the night sky.