Wales head to Trnava this evening to take on Slovakia in a game that has taken on a degree of significance since the embarrassing 0-0 draw with Gibraltar in midweek.
Manager Rob Page fielded a young side against the European minnows in the clash on the Algarve but even when he introduced his big guns midway through the second half they still could not break their hosts down.
Page addressed the boos from the travelling contingent in his post-match press conference, saying: “When you’re a manager of a football club or an international team you set yourself up for criticism. We’ve had a result that’s not gone our way against Gibraltar and I’ll take the criticism. I took it as a player and as a manager.
“We were a penalty kick away from qualifying for the Euros and we’re unbeaten since September. The form at the minute has been OK with regards to results. We haven’t qualified for the Euros, but we’ll regroup and go again (against Slovakia) on Sunday.”
Bookmakers have opened a book on Page surviving after tonight’s game, such is the pressure the boss is under. The clash is being shown live on S4C from 7.15pm and you can follow our live blog here.
Slovakia: Dubravka; Pekarik, Vavro, Skriniar, Hancko; Kucka, Lobotka, Duda; Schranz, Bozenik, Haraslin
Subs: Rodak, Ravas, Obert, Rigo, Gyomber, Suslov, Tupta, BenesHrosovsky, De Marco, Strelec, Duris, Bero, Sauer, Kosa
Wales: Ward; Stevens, Ampadu (c), Cabango, Dasilva; J. James, Sheehan; Johnson, Broadhead, D.James; Moore
Sub: King, Davies, Low, Baker, Crew, Savage, Bruns, Colwill, Matondo, Cullen, Koumas
Kick-off is 7.45pm, scroll down for updates.
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20:35Key Event
Half-time
That’s the end of the first half.
Wales behind in Trnava.
45 minsKey Event
GOAL! Slovakia 1-0 Wales (Kucka)
Kucka fires a low effort past a wrong-footed Ward from 25 yards.
20:26Tom Coleman
Freekick
Sheehan delivers the corner, but the referee’s seen something he doesn’t like and Slovakia have a freekick.
39 minsTom Coleman
Another corner
First corner is headed back across goal by Cabango.
Moore looks to nod in, but it’s deflected behind.
38 minsTom Coleman
Close!
Lovely flicked header from Moore, and Dubravka has to produce a brilliant save to tip it over the bar.
37 minsTom Coleman
Corner comes to nothing
But Wales do have a freekick
Sheehan to whip this in.
35 minsTom Coleman
Better from Wales
Daniel James wins a corner.
Sheehan to take.
31 minsTom Coleman
Slovakia applying some pressure now
Sheehan has to be alert to turn another threatening Slovakian ball behind for a corner.
Again, it comes to nothing.
29 minsTom Coleman
Let off
Bozenik guides a header high and wide after coasthing behind Cabango.
Should really be 1-0.
26 minsTom Coleman
Disallowed goal!
Corner’s played short and whipped in towards Hancko, who duly heads home.
Flag’s up.
25 minsTom Coleman
Another Slovakia corner
Duda’s shot is deflected wide this time.
21 minsTom Coleman
Moore bundled over
Looks to dart his way through the middle of the Slovakia defence but is bundled over by Vavro.
Nothing given.
21 minsTom Coleman
Corner to Slovakia
Haraslin fires goalwards after a neat one-two on the edge of the area. Cabango does well to turn it behind.
Corner comes to nothing.
19 minsTom Coleman
Reasonably solid start
Hasn’t been a massive amount to get excited about so far from either side yet. Wales have looked the better in the build-up, but Danny Ward is the only keeper to have made a save so far.
17 minsTom Coleman
Blocked
Dan James lets fly on the edge of the box, but his low shot is blocked.
12 minsTom Coleman
Bit too heavy from Moore
James lofts a cross in towards the near post from the left.
He’s looking for Moore, but it’s too close to the keeper and the towering striker goes crashing into Dubravka.
Freekick. Wales doing okay so far, though.
6 minsTom Coleman
Johnson tries to make something happen
First real opening for the visitors. Johnson gets away and fizzes a ball across the box, but it can’t find a red shirt.
5 minsTom Coleman
Wide
Haraslin cuts in from the left and fires goalwards. Mis-hits it and it’s well wide.
4 minsTom Coleman
Ward called into action
Early save for the Wales keeper as he’s down low to keep out Bozenik’s shot near the edge of the box.
19:42Tom Coleman
Anthem time
Teams are out and it’s time for the anthems here.
18:43Key Event
Team news – Slovakia
Here’s how the hosts line up tonight:
Slovakia: Dubravka; Pekarik, Vavro, Skriniar, Hancko; Kucka, Lobotka, Duda; Schranz, Bozenik, Haraslin
Subs: Rodak, Ravas, Obert, Rigo, Gyomber, Suslov, Tupta, BenesHrosovsky, De Marco, Strelec, Duris, Bero, Sauer, Kosa
18:37Tom Coleman
Seven changes
As expected, Rob Page has decided on a number of changes for this one.
Fin Stevens, Ben Cabango, Jay Dasilva and Josh Sheehan are the only survivors from the disappointing draw with Gibraltar.
Ethan Ampadu returns to the starting XI to take the captaincy, while big hitters like Daniel James, Brennan Johnson and Kieffer Moore are among the others to start tonight.
18:34Key Event
Team news – Wales
Wales: Ward; Stevens, Ampadu (c), Cabango, Dasilva; J. James, Sheehan; Johnson, Broadhead, D.James; Moore
Sub: King, Davies, Low, Baker, Crew, Savage, Bruns, Colwill, Matondo, Cullen, Koumas
18:24Tom Coleman
Welcome
Evening all.
This suddenly feels like as big game for Wales and Rob Page.
After the dismal draw with Gibraltar on Thursday night, this trip to Slovakia suddenly feels significant for the Wales boss, who has undoubtedly found himself under further pressure as a result.
It’s worth bearing in mind that it was something of an experimental line-up in Portugal. Tonight’s XI is likely to be a lot stronger.
But even so, Page will be hoping to see a response from his team this evening against a Slovakia side preparing for Euro 2024.
We’ll have team news very soon. Stick around.