By Owen Morgan
Wales coach Craig Knight has praised his young dragons after fighting their way back from 2-0 down against Montenegro to seal qualification for the European Under-17 Championships finals.
Many teams would have folded under the disappointment of conceding two quick-fire goals in first-half injury time of their deciding group match.
But the Welsh youngsters showed character and maturity beyond their years to secure a decisive draw to ensure they finished top of their Elite Round qualifying group on Tuesday.
Now they will become the first Welsh age group men’s team to line up at a finals tournament since the 1981 UEFA Under-18 Championships held in West Germany.
Knight was understandably bursting with pride as his young charges celebrated on the Dragon Park pitch in Newport after learning the 2-2 draw was enough to take them to the finals which kick-off in Hungary this May.
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The pressure was certainly on the home side as they walked out for the second half.
The first 45 minutes had been an even affair with Wales creating the majority of chances, but Montenegro also playing some attractive football in possession.
But the game was turned on its head during four mad minutes of first half injury time.
Montenegro took the lead through Vasilije Adžić in the second minute of stoppage time.
Swansea City’s Kit Margetson pulled off a brilliant save low to his left, but the ball ran into the attacker’s path, and he picked out the top corner to give his side the lead.
Adžić doubled their lead a minute later, getting in behind the home defence on the counterattack before slotting into the bottom corner on the brink of half-time.
The visitors celebrated as if they had won the game as they left the field at half time, but they had not reckoned on the fire in the bellies and ice in the veins of the young dragons.
Within five minutes of the break, Wales were back in the game when Swansea City’s in-form striker Iwan Morgan, slotted home after having been found in the box by his skipper Charlie Crew.
For the remainder of the half, Wales continued to pile on the pressure with Gabriele Biancheri, Freddie Issaka, Alfie Tuck and Morgan again all going close to an equaliser.
With Scotland drawing with Iceland in the other game being played simultaneously on Tuesday afternoon, the live Group B table saw Montenegro, Wales and Scotland all on four points as the match moved into the final five minutes.
Then up popped Dylan Lawlor to produce the goal which would prove decisive for Wales.
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Knight revealed there had been interaction between the under-17 camp and the first team squad during a hugely successful international break at all levels.
“We stayed in the hotel with the guys this week so we’ve been walking the same corridors within the first team staff with Pagey, and Gunts (Chris Gunter) coming and speaking to the boys last night,” said Knight.
“Two of the boys joined in with them earlier in the week, so that’s what you’ve got here in Wales, it’s such a close-knit family I suppose.
“And in the building we had Luke Harris and Jordan James. I remember them just a couple years ago coming in as young boys, now they’re in the first team squad. We want that for these boys. I’m just delighted, honestly!”
Fittingly, the squad was presented to the Cardiff City Stadium crowd during the half-time interval of Tuesday night’s European Championships victory over Latvia.
Wales Under-17s now go into next Monday’s draw for the 16-team finals tournament, which will take place in Hungary between May 17 and June 2.
The full list of qualifiers is: Hosts: Hungary. Group winners: Croatia, France (holders), Netherlands, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Serbia, Spain, Wales. Best seven runners-up: England, Germany, Italy, Poland, Scotland, Slovenia, Switzerland.
Wales v Montenegro match details:
Wales: Kit Margetson, Rhys Thomas, Luey Giles, Daniel Cox, Dylan Lawlor, Charlie Crew (C), Troy Perrett (George Morgan 81’), Joe Andrews (Alfie Tuck 68’), Iwan Morgan, Gabriele Biancheri (Cody Twose 81’), Freddie Issaka.
GOALS: Iwan Morgan (50’), Dylan Lawlor (86’)
