Given the strides Wales have made under Craig Bellamy in the past three months, for supporters the only dampener is that they now have to wait another four to witness the next step on this journey.
The bonus is that this result means Wales can look towards making a head start in their bid to qualify for another World Cup. Harry Wilson, who has now scored four goals in his past five matches for his country, capped an impressive comeback victory over Iceland, who led inside seven minutes courtesy of Andri Gudjohnsen. Liam Cullen scored twice before Brennan Johnson got on the scoresheet and Wilson thrashed in a fine strike from distance.
The last time these sides met in Cardiff a No 11 by the name of Gareth Bale scored a goal for the ages and here the heir to that shirt number, the lively Johnson, offered Wales breathing space on another fine night for Bellamy. The Wales manager is now six games unbeaten and, more significantly, this win ensured his team topped Nations League Group B4, with Montenegro’s 3-1 victory at home to Turkey paving the way for Wales to clinch an impressive promotion to Group A.
Wales squandered a two-goal lead in Reykjavik in the reverse fixture last month so they were well versed on Iceland’s talents. Bellamy talked up an exciting side spearheaded by Orri Óskarsson, the 20-year-old who joined Real Sociedad from Copenhagen for €20m in August, and coached by a veteran manager in Norwegian Åge Hareide. It did not stop Bellamy from appearing personally insulted by the manner of Iceland’s early opener, even if in the buildup to this game the Wales manager insisted such growing pains will ultimately help his team prosper. Going behind certainly got Wales firing.
Danny Ward made a superb right-hand save to keep out Óskarsson’s header from Jóhann Berg Gudmundsson’s devilish left-foot cross but an alert Gudjohnsen was first to the rebound and fired a shot through the legs of the Wales goalkeeper. Moments earlier Ward saved from Ísak Bergmann Jóhannesson, the son of Joey Gudjónsson, who was born over the English border in Sutton Coldfield when his father was at Aston Villa.
Wales, typically fast starters under Bellamy, were off to an unusually sleepy one. Cullen had their first real effort on 23 minutes, a tame shot after Johnson cut in from the right flank. Ten minutes later Johnson located Cullen, this time with the intended result. Johnson collected a pass from Neco Williams and sent a brilliant left-foot cross into the box.
Cullen moved towards the penalty spot, eluding his marker, Alfons Sampsted, and squeezed a glanced header inside the far post. Now this stadium, until that point muted on a freezing night, was buoyed.
Bellamy, who again rotated, making four changes from the team that drew in Turkey last weekend, was moonlighting as an emergency ballboy in an attempt to keep things moving, and on the verge of the interval Cullen registered another important finishing touch.
Daniel James saw a shot half-saved by the Brentford goalkeeper Hákon Valdimarsson and Swansea striker Cullen nipped in to feast on the leftovers. Cullen hurtled towards the nearest corner flag in celebration, where he was mobbed by his teammates. Wales headed down the tunnel in top spot in Group B4, with Turkey trailing in Montenegro.
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Ward replaced Karl Darlow in goal and by starting here he has now made as many appearances for his country as his club, Leicester, this season. Ward was kept busy and saved smartly from Mikael Egill Ellertsson, who replaced the injured Óskarsson midway through the first half.
Ben Davies, interminably flawless for his country, sent a header at goal from a corner and Harry Wilson chalked up another effort but opted for power when placement would have been a better option. An open game produced plenty of chances and Jón Dagur Thorsteinsson missed a prime opportunity to level, slicing a wayward shot over the bar from about 12 yards. It proved a costly miss.
Then Joe Allen, who started the last meeting between these teams, entered in place of the forward Mark Harris, with Bellamy seemingly mindful of how delicately things were poised. Then Wales hit the jackpot, Johnson driving into the box before applying a clean right-foot finish into the bottom corner. Wilson then cracked in another fine effort, lashing in a left-foot shot from the edge of the Iceland box.
