Ben Fisher’s verdict is in. Here it is! Thanks for reading this Clockwatch. Nighty night.
Post-match postbag. “Karl Darlow has played very well and could have played himself as No 1. Nico Williams has run his socks off. Harry Wilson same with a belting goal to boot. We looked significantly less secure when Connor Roberts came off, replacing him with Brennan Johnson didn’t work. All told, good value for all S4C viewers” – David Bowen
Here’s how the Welsh group (B4) looks after tonight’s games.
Turkey P2 W1 D1 L0 F3 A1 Pts 4
Wales P2 W1 D1 L0 F2 A1 Pts 4
Iceland P2 W1 D0 L1 F3 A3 Pts 3
Montenegro P2 W0 D0 L2 F1 A4 Pts 0
The full-times
A2
France 2-0 Belgium
Israel 1-2 Italy
B3
Slovenia 3-0 Kazakhstan
Norway 2-1 Austria
B4
Montenegro 1-2 Wales
Turkey 3-1 Iceland
C2
Cyprus 0-4 Kosovo
Romania 3-1 Lithuania
Kieffer Moore talks to S4C after Wales’ hard-fought victory in Montenegro. “We’re really happy … it was very tough … gruelling … you can tell by the conditions and how wet I am! … we knew we had to lay a marker straight away … when a ball falls to you that nicely you have to put it away … there’s been a lot of information for all of us … it’s coming along really well and we’re really enjoying it.”
FULL TIME: France 2-0 Belgium
Easy enough for Les Bleus.
FULL TIME: Turkey 3-1 Iceland. Slovenia’s Benjamin Šeško wasn’t the only hat-trick hero this evening: step forward Turkey’s Kerem Aktürkoğlu.
FULL TIME: Norway 2-1 Austria. A late winner for Erling Haaland but a worrying ankle injury for Martin Ødegaard.
FULL TIME: Romania 3-1 Lithuania. Two wins out of two for the Romanians.
FULL TIME: Montenegro 1-2 Wales
In retrospect, the job was done after two-and-a-half whirlwind minutes. But Montenegro had their chances afterwards, and will wonder how they didn’t at least earn a point. The Craig Bellamy revolution continues apace!
Montenegro 1-2 Wales. Craig Bellamy’s side are holding on with just over a minute of additional time to play.
FULL TIME: Israel 1-2 Italy. The Azzuri take control of Group A2.
FULL TIME: Slovenia 3-0 Kazakhstan. Benjamin Šeško, somewhere in a parallel universe a star of BBC Forces radio, is tonight’s hat-trick hero.
GOAL! Romania 3-1 Lithuania (Mitriță 90+2). Ionuţ Mitriță makes sure for Romania. So close and ultimately so far for tonight’s underdogs.
GOAL! Turkey 3-1 Iceland (Aktürkoğlu 88). Kerem Aktürkoğlu completes his hat-trick to seal the deal for the hosts in Izmir.
GOAL! Israel 1-2 Italy (Abu Fani 90). It’s not quite over in Budapest yet. Mohammad Abu Fani reduces Israel’s arrears just as injury time comes around.
GOAL! Romania 2-1 Lithuania (Marin 87 pen). The visitors were this close to claiming a shock point in Bucharest. But then Lithuanian captain Justas Lasickas fouls Ianis Hagi in the box, VAR gets involved, and Răzvan Marin converts.
GOAL! Norway 2-1 Austria (Haaland 83). Erling Haaland didn’t get a shot on target against Kazakhstan on Friday. He hadn’t had one tonight, either … until now. Some stories write themselves. This dude is a force of nature.
France 2-0 Belgium. Kylian Mbappé barrels down the left this time, and very nearly plants a low drive across Koen Casteels and into the bottom right. Inches wide of the post. The man looks in the mood to prove a point.
Montenegro 1-2 Wales. “This has been riotous entertainment so far,” writes David Bowen. “Could easily have been 5-2 to Montenegro on another night. The goal was definitely coming and Montenegro look likely again. This is where Craig Bellamy earns his corn to keep him in box-fresh trainers and high-end bomber jackets.”
France 2-0 Belgium. Kylian Mbappé is on for France, and already causing Belgium problems. His powerful run down the inside-right channel ends with a fierce shot from a tight angle that Koen Casteels does well to block and turn around the post. Nothing comes from the resulting corner.
Norway 1-1 Austria. Some worrying news for Arsenal (and indeed Norway) fans. “Ødegård had to leave the match with what looked like a serious ankle injury,” reports Henning Reinton. Looks like he was carted off the pitch in tears, unable to put much, if any, weight on his leg. God speed, Martin.
GOAL! Montenegro 1-2 Wales (Camaj 73)
Yes, well, sorry for mentioning that. The hosts finally find the net, and it had been coming. A simple enough goal, Nikola Krstović turning the Welsh defence and chasing a long punt down the right, drawing Karl Darlow, then crossing for Driton Camaj to slam into the open goal.
Updated
Montenegro 0-2 Wales. Montenegro must be wondering how they’ve not scored tonight. Stevan Jovetić sends a diving header towards the bottom right, but Karl Darlow somehow shovels it around the post, and nothing comes of the corner. Craig Bellamy may be proving himself a football genius since taking over as Wales boss, but he’s also leading something of a charmed life tonight.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales. Another close thing for the hosts. Vladimir Jovović takes a speculative whack from 25 yards, the shot pinging off the inside of the left-hand post and away. That’s the second time Montenegro have rattled the frame of Karl Darlow’s goal. The ball rebounds to Nikola Krstović, who should slot into an unguarded net from six yards, Darlow having launched himself towards the initial shot, but somehow skies over the bar. Krstović’s blushes are spared, sort of, when the flag pops up correctly for offside.
GOAL! Slovenia 3-0 Kazakhstan (Šeško 63). It’s that man again! Again! Benjamin Šeško completes his hat-trick, getting on the end of Ronald Frankau’s Erik Janža’s free kick.
GOAL! France 2-0 Belgium (Dembélé 57)
Ousmane Dembélé has copped plenty of stick for a lack of end product. But he delivers here. He sashays in from the right flank and sends a rising, swerving shot into the top-left corner from just inside the box. The hosts on course to bounce back from the disappointing Italy defeat.
Updated
GOAL! Israel 0-2 Italy (Kean 62). Fiorentina’s Moise Kean doubles the Azzurri’s lead. Italy will be taking control of Group A2 tonight, because in the section’s other game …
Montenegro 0-2 Wales. A huge chance for Montenegro to halve the Welsh lead. A cross looped in from the left. Stefan Mugoša is all alone, ten yards out, but can only send a weak downward header miles wide right.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales. Brennan Johnson cuts in from the left and, despite having three red shirts around him, manages to unleash a rising shot that heads towards the top-left corner and stings home keeper Milan Mijatović’s hands. Fine football all round.
GOAL! Turkey 2-1 Iceland (Aktürkoğlu 52). Kerem Aktürkoğlu, formerly of Galatasaray and newly signed by Benfica, scores his second of the evening to restore the hosts’ lead.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales. A couple of Montenegro corners in quick succession. Wales deal with them easily enough, but they’re sitting back and inviting trouble. Everything happening in the visitors’ half. It’s still tipping down, as well.
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France 1-0 Belgium. The hosts begin the second period looking for another goal. All the play in the Belgium half, but the visitors are holding them at arm’s length right now. The final ball lacking.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales. The hosts have started the second half as they ended the first: on the front foot but unable to find a way through. There’s also a spot of bother for Neco Williams, who is booked for his part in a brouhaha over a throw-in with Miloš Brnović. The Montenegro player goes into the notebook as well.
The matches have restarted all across Europe. “It’s still pouring down here in Nikšić but the Montenegro FA have kindly allocated us seats in the only stand with a roof,” reports Wales fan Alun Pugh. “The locals are getting a drenching out in the open. We are singing ‘we’re covered in’ as a thank you. This might not go the 90 minutes given the rain as the ball is not rolling properly. 0-2 flatters us. Jam side up indeed.”
More half-time entertainment. “Nice unexpected Tommy Handley reference,” begins Sam Bain, one of the geniuses behind Peep Show, I’ll be bound. “My grandfather Ronald Frankau was in a comedy double act with him called Murgatroyd and Winterbottom. Although if he had been in a double act with Benjamin Sesko, they probably would have scored a lot more goals.”
Well that’s this evening’s internet rabbit hole sorted. I defy anyone not to splutter out loud when their faces first appear at the start of this clip. Magnificent.
Half-time entertainment. Some astute international observations courtesy of Argentina’s Jonathan Wilson.
The half-times
A2
France 1-0 Belgium
Israel 0-1 Italy
B3
Slovenia 2-0 Kazakhstan
Norway 1-1 Austria
B4
Montenegro 0-2 Wales
Turkey 1-1 Iceland
C2
Cyprus 0-4 Kosovo (F)
Romania 1-1 Lithuania
GOAL! Israel 0-1 Italy (Frattesi 38). Davide Frattesi improvises to steer Federico Dimarco’s cross home with his torso.
Updated
Montenegro 0-2 Wales. A cross dinked into the Welsh box from the Montenegro left. Stevan Jovetić meets it, six yards out, attempting to steer a header into the bottom left. It’s going in, but it hits Ben Davies on the arm. A livid Jovetić wants a penalty, but the referee says no, Davies’ arm having moved not one inch, close enough to his side. Thing is, that was a goal otherwise, Karl Darlow was rooted to the spot, so you can understand Jovetić’s ire, but that’s the referee’s call. Wales probably couldn’t have argued too much had the official viewed that differently. One of those.
GOAL! Turkey 1-1 Iceland (Pálsson 37). Victor Pálsson with the equaliser in Izmir. HÚH!
GOAL! Norway 1-1 Austria (Sabitzer 37). Austria captain Marcel Sabitzer levels things up in Oslo. For the record, Erling Haaland still hasn’t managed a shot on target in this year’s Nations League. International football is a very strange beast.
GOAL! Romania 1-1 Lithuania (Kučys 34). Armandas Kučys with a surprise equaliser for the underdogs in Bucharest.
GOAL! Slovenia 2-0 Kazakhstan (Šeško 28). It’s that man again! Tommy Handley Benjamin Šeško doubles Slovenia’s tally in short order. A BBC Home Service reference there, the internet kids can’t get enough of them.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales. Karl Darlow parries Nikola Krstović’s shot from a tight angle on the left. The rebound falls to Stevan Jovetić, who must score, but his shot slams into Darlow’s startled coupon. This next rebound drops at the feet of Driton Camaj, who fizzes the ball towards the bottom right … only for Ben Davies to hack off the line! What defensive heroics. Everything falling jam side up for Wales at both ends of the pitch.
GOAL! France 1-0 Belgium (Kolo Muani 30)
The deadlock is broken in Lyon. Ousmane Dembélé latches onto a loose ball to the right of goal, 12 yards out. He snatches at the shot, but the bobble forces Koen Casteels into flapping, and Randal Kolo Muani slots the perfectly teed-up rebound.
Updated
Israel 0-0 Italy. Hold on, I forgot this one. But who can blame me, with very little to report other than the Azzurri are on top in Budapest.
France 0-0 Belgium. … so there have been goals in every game tonight with the exception of the biggest. Matteo Guendouzi is doing his best to remedy that, nearly getting on the end of Ousmane Dembélé’s right-wing cross but accidentally flattening Belgium keeper Koen Casteels instead, then taking a fierce shot from distance that deflects harmlessly over the bar. The game’s entertaining enough without being truly captivating.
GOAL! Slovenia 1-0 Kazakhstan (Šeško 23). The RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Šeško puts the hosts ahead in Ljubljana.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales. The hosts are getting a foothold in the game now. Vladimir Jovović threads a speculative shot towards the bottom left from distance. Karl Darlow claims well, given the slippery conditions.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales. The hosts go so close to halving the Welsh lead with a wonder goal! Ethan Ampadu ships possession in the centre circle with a misplaced pass. Stevan Jovetić latches onto it, takes one touch, then from the halfway line launches over Karl Darlow, stranded on walkabout miles from his box. Darlow’s shoulders drop, he knows he’s beaten all ends up … but Jovetić’s brilliantly improvised effort lands on the top of the crossbar and balloons out for a goal kick. Jovetić deserved better; Ampadu and Darlow get away with one bigstyle.
France 0-0 Belgium. The visitors have made the better start in Lyon. Dodi Lukébakio has forced Mike Maignan into a save, and crossed invitingly towards Loïs Openda, who couldn’t quite reach to poke home. Openda is then booked, along with Lucas Digne, for some playground shove-a-round in the France box.
GOAL! Norway 1-0 Austria (Myhre 9). Felix Myhre nets first in Oslo.
GOAL! Romania 1-0 Lithuania (Mihăilă 5). … and Romania are positively tardy. Valentin Mihăilă opens the scoring in Bucharest.
GOAL! Turkey 1-0 Iceland (Aktürkoğlu 2). Turkey dragging their feet by comparison. Kerem Aktürkoğlu with the opener in İzmir.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales. In between those goals, Ethan Ampadu picked up a booking for a cynical tug on an opponent. He’ll not be too worried about that, given the events that sandwiched his transgression, but it’s a needless one that could prove costly later. Just the 88 minutes to go on a yellow.
GOAL! Montenegro 0-2 Wales (Wilson 3)
This is astonishing! Harry Wilson has a whack from distance. It’s a pearler that nestles in the top-right corner. That’s from the best part of 30 yards, set outside the post and swung back into the top bin! Milan Mijatović in the Montenegro goal had no chance whatsoever!
Updated
GOAL! Montenegro 0-1 Wales (Moore 37 sec)
Wales take the lead immediately! Some pinball on the edge of the Montenegro box. Poor Slobodan Rubežić’s attempted clearance pings off a nearby team-mate and falls at the feet of Kieffer Moore, who slams a low drive off the base of the left-hand post and in!
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Wales get the ball rolling in Nikšić. They’re in second-choice yellow tonight, with the hosts Montenegro in red. France meanwhile are in their white change strip this evening, despite hosting Belgium in Lyon. The visitors red devils as usual.
Peep! Peep! Peep! Peep! Peep! Peep! Peep! Here we go, then.
All across the continent, teams emerge from tunnels. It’s still coming down in stair rods in Nikšić, but the game is going ahead nonetheless. A few brave lads in the away end are embracing the conditions fully, tops off in the Newcastle style. Most are sensibly keeping on their bucket hats. Seven matches about to kick off, once 14 songs of national pride are sung.
A very relaxed-looking Craig Bellamy speaks to S4C. “Another game in a short space of time, freshness is key … so I expected changes … that’s it! … they are really good conditions! [laughs] … no, it’s slick, so it’ll allow ball speed to be up, and that’s what we want, so I’m quite happy with the conditions … we need to be disciplined … keep control … be selective with our numbers … if it turns into a transition game it’s not in our favour … we want our players to play with high intensity so it makes sense to change the players round … we have other options to come back in … it was always in my thoughts.”
Tonight’s flagship match is surely France v Belgium in Lyon. Didier Deschamps has responded to his team becoming the first France side to lose at home to Italy in 70 years by dropping eight players, including a certain Kylian Mbappé. I can’t speak French, but whatever the opposite of “bof” is, it’s that. By contrast, Belgium are pretty much as they were for their easy win over Israel. It could be a fun night one way or another.
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Weather report. The latest from Nikšić, brought to you by a friend of Football Weekly.
Wales away in Montenegro, this was the scene a couple of hours ago. The rain has now reduced from ‘Biblical’ to ‘classic Welsh winter.’ Who knows if the game will go ahead. That said, a very drunk local just guessed my age as 26 so I’ve never felt more alive pic.twitter.com/XZIMmguKYI
— Elis James (@elisjames) September 9, 2024
FULL TIME: Cyprus 0-4 Kosovo. The Kosovans hit the front early doors with a Vedat Muriqi penalty and never relinquished that ninth-minute lead. Muriqi added a second on 21 minutes, Albion Rrahmani made it three just after the break, and Lumbardh Dellova completed the scoring at the AEK Arena on 55 minutes. A fine response by Kosovo to Friday’s 3-0 defeat by Romania; Cyprus had won their first game 1-0 in Lithuania. Romania are hot favourites to win Group C2, but otherwise the division looks like developing into an interesting scrap.
The early signs suggest Craig Bellamy won’t be a manager who will die wondering. His first selection acquitted themselves well against Turkey last Friday, but he’s made five changes for tonight’s game in Montenegro nonetheless. In come Karl Darlow, Chris Mepham, Lewis Koumas, Kieffer Moore and Ollie Cooper, in place of Danny Ward, Aaron Ramsey, Brennan Johnson, Jordan James and Sorba Thomas. Leeds keeper Darlow is making his international debut at the age of 33.
Wales team news
CYMRU XI 🇲🇪🏴
— Wales 🏴 (@Cymru) September 9, 2024
5️⃣ changes
🧢 1 first cap
🫡 2 first starts#TogetherStronger pic.twitter.com/DiHkjuMTOW
Preamble
Today’s Nations League card looks like this …
A2
France v Belgium
Israel v Italy
B3
Slovenia v Kazakhstan
Norway v Austria
B4
Montenegro v Wales
Turkey v Iceland
C2
Cyprus 0-4 Kosovo (L)
Romania v Lithuania
… with all games kicking off at 7.45pm BST, except for the one that plainly didn’t. News of what happened in that, plus the teams from the Wales game, is coming right up.
