Montenegro v Wales LIVE: Nations League final score and result after Moore and Wilson strike early
Craig Bellamy’s Wales side built on a positive first result against Turkey with victory over Montenegro in the Nations League
Wales have beaten Montenegro 2-1 in their Nations League match in Niksic.
The visitors got off to the perfect start when Kieffer Moore pounced on the ball in the box and lashed home off the post with only 38 seconds on the clock. And just two minutes later, Harry Wilson thumped a long-range strike into the net to give Wales a two-goal lead.
Montenegro came back into the game, with captain Stefan Jovetic hitting the bar from the halfway line and missing a sitter which was well saved by Welsh keeper Karl Darlow, among an array of chances. Driton Camaj eventually pulled one back in the second half, but it was too little, too late.
The game played out in driving rain as a soaked manager, Craig Bellamy, watched his new-look side continue their more aggressive, front-foot approach. And it paid off as they added to an initial draw with Turkey in Cardiff last week with three valuable points here.
Half-time: Montenegro 0-2 Wales
That was a brilliant 45 minutes of football in the driving rain, kickstarted by Kieffer Moore’s opportunistic strike after 38 seconds, which was soon followed by a stunning goal by Harry Wilson from range.
Montenegro came back into the game and could, and should, have scored. Their captain Stefan Jovetic hit the bar from the halfway line, then saw his shot saved by Karl Darlow from two yards out. Ben Davies scrambled back to clear the rebound off the line, before surviving a penalty shout just before the break.
Hopefully much more of the same to come.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales
42 min: A pity here, as Connor Roberts is forced off with what looks like a minor muscle injury. He’s replaced by Brennan Johnson, and it looks like Johnson will play at right wing-back, with Neco Williams on the left side.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales
38 min: A big penalty shout here from the home players, and crowd, but the referee – Georgi Kabakov of Bulgaria – waves away the protests. Stefan Jovetic had headered the ball on target and it may have been going inside the far post, before it struck the arm of Ben Davies. Davies, in fairness, had his arm in a pretty neutral position by his side, but the ball travelled a couple of yards and you’ve seen them given.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales
34 min: The game has entered a little bit of a lull, perhaps unsurprisingly after such a frenetic first half hour.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales
29 min: How have Montenegro not scored?! First Darlow makes a brilliant point-blank save to deny captain Jovetic a couple of yards out, and then Davies gets back on the line to clear away the rebound. Great last-ditch stuff from Wales.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales
25 min: Weather update: it is still raining, heavily. Craig Bellamy’s bomber jacket does not appear to be faring well. Is it even waterproof?
Montenegro 0-2 Wales
21 min: Koumas pounces on a high ball and tries to dribble into the box, but the teenager is quickly bounced off the ball and Wales will have a corner, to be taken by Harry Wilson. The set-piece is too deep and it runs through for a throw-in on the far side.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales
18 min: Brilliant pressure by Lewis Koumas, who chases a back pass and forces goalkeeper Mijatovic to lash the ball into the stands for a Welsh throw-in. That appears to be Bellamy’s blueprint in a nutshell: high pace and hard running, and it’s working so far here.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales
15 min: Oh my, almost an incredible goal! Just as Wales put together a composed spell of possession, Ethan Ampadu gives the ball away on the halfway line and Stefan Jovetic immediately fires at goal. The ball sails over the stranded Darlow and crashes against the crossbar, before bouncing behind to safety. Brilliantly quick thinking by the Montenegro captain, and a let off for Wales.
At the other end, Wales attack with pace and win a free-kickf on the edge of the box, but a tricky set-piece routine complicates the situation and Wilson fires off target at the end of it all.
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