And breathe. Into six of seven minutes of second-half stoppage time David Brooks dinked the ball in to seal a timely victory for Wales. Moments before the relief when Danny Ward claimed a free-kick was audible from the Wales contingent who had in effect taken over this modest three-sided stadium, a rubble car park behind one goal. It meant that when Rob Page, his squad and backroom staff embarked on a post-match victory lap, they had to tick off all four corners.
Page proclaimed he would take a scruffy one-nil win and while it was hardly smash and grab, they had to sweat against Latvia to a earn a crucial victory that revives their hopes of automatic qualification. Aaron Ramsey’s 100th senior career goal, from the penalty spot in the first half, opened the scoring but Wales also endured their share of hairy moments before Brooks applied a sumptuous finishing touch after latching on to Harry Wilson’s through ball.
