- Wales were promoted to Nations League A after a 4-1 victory against Iceland
- Liam Cullen netted a brace, while Harry Wilson and Brennan Johnson also scored
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Craig Bellamy could hardly have asked for more from his first six games as Wales boss.
Thanks to this win over Iceland and Turkey’s defeat in Montenegro, Wales finished top of their Nations League group and will take on some of Europe’s strongest sides in the next edition of the competition. Even better, they will almost certainly be guaranteed a World Cup play-off spot if they cannot qualify automatically for the tournament in 2026 through their group.
Having trekked to Podgorica, Reykjavik and Kayseri watching their team clinch promotion, they can look forward to going to Paris, Madrid or Rome next time around.
A double from Liam Cullen – his first goals for Wales – and goals from Brennan Johnson and Harry Wilson made it a night to remember yet it all started very differently as Andri Gudjohnsen, son of former Chelsea and Barcelona star Eidur, struck first.
Danny Ward did push away Orri Oskarsson’s point-blank header from Johann Gudmundsson’s cross yet failed to keep out the follow-up from Gudjohnsen, allowing it to sneak past him at the near post.
Wales were promoted to the top tier of the Nations League after a 4-1 victory against Iceland
Swansea forward Liam Cullen scored a brace in what were his first goals for his country
Harry Wilson continued his fine form as Wales made the most of Turkey’s loss to Montenegro
Though Wales were labouring, they drew level just after the half-hour mark. Neco Williams fed Johnson on the right and Cullen sneaked ahead of his marker to guide home the cross with his head.
Back came Iceland. Ben Cabango backpedalled to head Jon Thorsteinsson’s cross off the line and Gudjohnsen blasted over the bar from 12 yards after Isak Johannesson had nodded Thorsteinsson’s delivery back into the danger zone.
Yet the chances were there for Wales too. Mark Harris won the ball high and slipped in Johnson, whose rising effort was pushed around the post.
In first-half stoppage time, Harris was involved again, sending in Dan James for a shot that was half-stopped by Hakon Valdimarsson.
The loose ball fell perfectly for Cullen, however, who tapped in his second.
Iceland had lost Oskarsson to injury midway through the first half and made another change at the start of the second when Stefan Thordarson replaced skipper Gudmundsson.
Oskarsson’s replacement, Mikael Ellertsson, was denied by Ward soon after the restart.
At the other end, Ben Davies’ header was tipped over.
Brennan Johnson had made it 3-1 in another impressive display from the Tottenham forward
Andri Gudjohnsen, son of former Chelsea star Eidur, had put Iceland ahead early in the game
Thorsteinsson demanded a penalty when his attempt to turn in Gudjohnsen’s cross was blocked by Rodon and then Wilson chose to shoot with Johnson and Harris unmarked.
The game was stretched by now and Thorsteinsson wasted another opportunity, this time firing over from close range. Amid the chaos, Bellamy was shown a yellow card.
Iceland were made to regret their wastefulness midway through the half. Cullen produced an outstanding pass for Johnson who closed in on Valdimarsson and finished confidently to give Wales a two-goal cushion.
And it was fitting that Wilson, the star of the early Bellamy era, should put the seal on it with a fine strike from 20 yards.