Chris Coleman says Wales are right in the World Cup qualifying mix after teenage sensation Ben Woodburn’s dream introduction to international football continued.
The Liverpool teenager came off the bench to set-up Hal Robson-Kanu for the crucial opener with 10 minutes left against Group D minnows Moldova.
Aaron Ramsey sealed the win minutes later after keeper Wayne Hennessey denied the hosts a shock equaliser in Chisinau with an excellent stop from Andrei Cojocari.
The win lifted Wales into second place in the Group D after the Republic of Ireland were beaten 1-0 by Serbia in Dublin.
The Serbs now lead by four points and look dead-certs to claim the automatic qualifying spot for Russia next summer.
And it looks like Wales’ final game against the Republic in Cardiff on October 9th will decide who finishes second whatever the result Coleman’s side achieve in Georgia three days earlier.
That would give Coleman’s side a good chance of one of the play-off spots for the eight best runners-up.
Coleman said: “It was a win, a good win, not our best performance over 90 minutes. We had to come and be patient and that is what we talked about for the past three days.
“I thought everything we asked of the lads they did. We thought there could be a late goal in it and we thought they could get tired.
“It was another great piece of work by young Ben. Going down on the outside and puts it across and a great finish from Robson-Kanu.
“After that rather than keeping calm we got a bit nervous and they attacked us and they could have got one back but Rambo goes up the other end and finishes it off.
“It was one of those games where we had so much to lose so it didn’t really matter how we got over the line at the end.
“Serbia are in the driving seat but we have to finish the group next month in the same style as these last two games and they we don’t know…we’ll be in the mix.
“That’s 18 campaign gams with one defeat. You are not always going to have it your own way, play fantastic football and score loads of goals.
“Sometimes you have got to dig a result out. Show a bit of heart and courage as we have over the last two games as we have not been at our best.”
Coleman, speaking to Sky Sports, added: “Two games to go you have to fancy Serbia but it’s that second place we have to try and get. It’s still very exciting for us
“Away to Georgia doesn’t come much tougher, but bring it on. Let’s make sure we take the red wall with us.
“We are going to have to be a bit better than we have been in the last two games in terms of our all-round play and in terms of our courage and resilience we will need that again next month.”
But it could all have been different but for Woodburn who ended a surging run down the left with a perfect cross for Robson-Kanu.
It was only the 17-year-old’s second appearance for his country having marked his debut with the stunning winner against Austria in Cardiff three days earlier.
Midfielder Joe Allen admitted: “That was hard work and quite frustrating at times. But we got the all-important goal and got the three points.
“What a player Ben already is and is going to be. He has had a massive impact and will have a big future for Wales in the future.
“We have picked up six points from these two games which gives us momentum going into the final two games, but we know it is not going to be easy.”
