Joe Rodon will win his 50th Wales cap on Tuesday after being battered, bruised and cut during the Nations League draw with Turkey. Rodon produced a player-of-the-match performance to shut out the Euro 2024 quarter-finalists in a bruising 0-0 stalemate in Kayseri.
Mold Alex turned into the biggest giant-killers in the third knock-out round of the JD Welsh Cup as they dispatched JD Cymru Premier side Briton Ferry Llansawel 2-1. The JD Cymru North team established a two goal lead in the first half at Alyn Park thanks to goals from Owen Cordner and Emanuel Lawal and then hung on to notch a famous victory. Alex Gammond got one back for the visitors to set up a thrilling final 20 minutes, but Mold held firm.
Karl Darlow dodged lighters thrown towards him and “white noise” at the ear-splitting Kadir Has Stadium to help Wales secure a battling Nations League draw in Turkey. Wales spent large periods of the clash under the cosh, but Darlow’s steady handling and shot-saving ability ensured the tie finished 0-0. Turkey did have the chance to seal matters – and promotion to League A into the bargain – from the penalty spot in the 89th-minute, but Kerem Akturkoglu’s effort struck the outside of the post and went wide.
Joe Allen and Craig Bellamy go back a long way – way before the former was calling the current Wales manager, “Boss”. But going from providing the shots to calling them, is something Allen himself may well do when he hangs up his boots.
Wales midfielder Josh Sheehan feels the ‘Swansea Way,’ has signposted a route from the lower reaches of the Football League to the international highway. Sheehan delivered an outstanding performance last month in a match against Montenegro, helping Wales secure a 1-0 home victory and keep their unbeaten run in the Nations League intact.
Jordan James will be hoping a new manager will provide a fresh start at Rennes after a slow beginning to his career in French football. Wales midfielder James – who is set to feature for Craig Bellamy’s side in Turkey this weekend – has made only three brief substitute appearances for Rennes since moving there from Birmingham City, and not played at all since September 21.
Dan James is determined to make up for lost time on the international stage as Wales seek to silence raucous Turkey supporters in their potential Nations League group decider. Leeds winger James has joined a Craig Bellamy Wales squad for the first time after missing the new manager’s opening two camps with a hamstring injury.
Ben Davies believes Wales can challenge the best with promotion to the top tier of the Nations League in their sights. Only Germany, with 17, have created more big chances in the competition than Wales’ 13 heading into the final round of fixtures.
Luke Williams admitted he was left “gutted” by a controversial penalty decision that brought Swansea’s City mini-revival to an abrupt halt. The Swans head coach was left doubting the call by referee David Webb, deep into injury time, that gave Burnley a penalty which Jay Rodriguez converted for a 1-0 win at Turf Moor.
Cardiff City interim manager Omer Riza has told fans they are going to have to wait for the board’s decision regarding his future after his side’s 3-1 loss to Blackburn Rovers. Despite his desire to get the job permanently, his future in the dugout is still uncertain with supporters starting to get restless about who will be their next permanent gaffer. A victory might have nudged Riza nearer towards having his name on the office door, but Cardiff went 2-0 down and although they pulled back a goal to suggest they might get something out of the game, they finished by conceding a third.
Omer Riza is a patient man and it appears if you work for Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan then you need to be. Tan seems to regard patience as a virtue, so long as it’s not him who is expected to show any.
Craig Harrison has urged his New Saints side not to get too down-hearted after they suffered a 2-1 defeat at Shamrock Rovers in their latest Europa Conference League tie. TNS had led 1-0 but the Irish side came from behind to beat the Cymru Premier champions at Tallaght Stadium.
Majority owners Jason Levien and Steve Kaplan are moving to sell their controlling stake in Swansea City. Fellow shareholders Andy Coleman, Brett Cravatt, Nigel Morris, and businessman Jason Cohen are set to take over ownership.
Cardiff City’s bubble has burst and interim manager Omer Riza has admitted it did not deserve to float beyond Luton. The Bluebirds lost 1-0 at Kenilworth Road, popping a seven-game unbeaten run and inflicting a second defeat on Riza in his eight-game spell in charge. Whether the result affects his chances of being given the permanent manager’s job remains to be seen, but a slip back down to 21st place in the table – above the bottom three on goal difference – cannot have helped his cause.
Luke Williams believes Swansea City have turned a corner and “become a team with an identity” as they moved to within two points of the Championship play-off places. The Swans head coach was in upbeat mood after watching his team secure back-to-back victories following a gritty, but deserved, 1-0 win at home to fifth-placed Watford.
Wales manager Craig Bellamy has likened “streetwise” Harry Wilson to South American trio Carlos Tevez, Javier Mascherano and Luis Suarez. Former striker Bellamy played alongside all three players – with Tevez at Manchester City and Mascherano and Suarez in two different spells at Liverpool – during his colourful career at the top level.
Wales have welcomed back Daniel James and Rubin Colwill for their final Nations League games against Turkiye and Iceland. James has yet to play for new boss Craig Bellamy after suffering a hamstring injury in August.
Harry Wilson has earned huge praise from Fulham manager Marco Silva after the Wales star proved his club’s inspirational matchwinner against Brentford. Wilson – who will be named in the Wales squad on Tuesday morning for the upcoming Nations League matches – claimed a superb second-half added time brace to earn a 2-1 victory over Brentford.
Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson has admitted his team have to “take it on the chin” after they were dumped out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle. Harrogate pulled off the biggest upset of the opening round on Sunday as the Sky Bet League Two side beat League One high-flyers Wrexham 1-0 to reach the second round.
Omer Riza has revealed he held “constructive talks” with Cardiff City’s board as he edges closer to his ambition of being given the manager’s job on a permanent basis. Cardiff scored two late goals to snatch a dramatic 2-1 win at home against promotion-chasing Norwich City at the weekend.