History repeats, so they say. And for Wales that's the good news.
Two years ago (just three days off the day to be exact) Gareth Bale stood over a free-kick in a dangerous area in a play-off qualifying semi-final and supercharged Wales’ fate to finally end a 64-year wait for World Cup football.
There is no 64-year history to eclipse here, but if Neco Williams’ thunderous free-kick is to be read into as anything more than Wales’ second goal of the night in a 4-1 win over Finland, then perhaps an historical recycling can be one of them.
Wales are through to the Euro 2024 qualifying play-off final thanks to goals from David Brooks, Williams, Brennan Johnson and Dan James. Rob Page’s side will now face Poland, 5-1 winners over Estonia, on Tuesday night at Cardiff City Stadium for a chance to reach Germany in the summer.
If it is familiar territory and a familiar narrative, then what is unfamiliar is the heroes of the occasion. Where former Real Madrid star Gareth Bale dragged Wales through their World Cup qualifying play-offs, Thursday's win was the combined effort of a new era.
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While James celebrated his 50th cap, Brooks, Williams or Johnson have just 92 caps between them, while the midfield duo of Jordan James and Ethan Ampadu, celebrating his 50th cap and becoming the youngest-ever Welshman to achieve the laurel, reached a combined age of 42.
Manager Rob Page threw a curve ball with his selection. Kieffer Moore and Dan James started on the bench, and Brennan Johnson deployed as the No 9 with Harry Wilson and David Brooks on either side. Page is known for his tinkering in pivotal matches, the penchant for doing so incurring mixed appreciation from Welsh fans.
From the off, Wales’ game plan was clear: exploit the space in behind, use the pace of the front three. And for those starting XI doubters, Page was vindicated with less than three minutes gone as Wilson broke through, leaping onto a loose ball out of Johnson’s feet. Bayer Leverkusen keeper Lukas Hradecky was there to deny Wilson but not Brooks, who sent the rebound thundering past a beached Hradecky.
David Brooks opened the scoring for Wales Euro 2024 qualifying play-off semi-final against Finland (2024 AMA Sports Photo Agency)Finland had their threats, though for the opening exchanges they struggled to exploit the fact Wales goalkeeper Danny Ward has yet to play a single competitive minute of club football this season. Teemu Pukki’s first effort was tame and comfortable, the latter being largely how the Wales defence felt throughout the first half. Connor Roberts was called in to make a neat block, Ben Davies stole the ball off Pukki as if in a training exercise. Ward could be grateful to his backline.
And after plenty of clamour from the Welsh forwards, it was left-back Williams who would double their advantage before half-time. Johnson won a free-kick just on the edge of the box and after some deliberation on who would take it, Williams buried a sumptuous effort into the top right corner to send the home support into fits of frenzy.
But these things are hardly straightforward and minutes later Joel Pohjanpalo's clever pass found Pukki and the Minnesota United forward, having made a mockery of Major League Soccer thus far this season, slipped his shot past a helpless Ward without fuss.
Yet, whatever lifeline there was was swiftly extinguished at the start of the second half as Wales won another free-kick. Ethan Ampadu, celebrating his 50th cap, won his header, Brooks knocked it on and Johnson swept home at the back post. Those creeping half-time worries of a good chance scuppered were momentarily put to the side.
Brennan Johnson scored Wales' third against Finland, marking his third goal in 26 appearances for country (2024 Huw Fairclough)Wales had chances to put the game further out of reach, first through Wilson but his effort blazed wide and then later through Moore off the bench. Finland’s chances were few and far between, the visitors finding an obstinate Welsh defence in their path. A sign of Finland’s frustrations arrived as Daniel Hakans was booked for simulation outside the area.
A bizarre intervention from VAR saw Ben Davies’ header ruled out to give Wales another deserved goal but James arriving off the bench kept spirits high as the Leeds forward used his pace to latch onto an errant ball before rounding Hradecky and firing Wales within 90 minutes of reaching a third successive Euros.
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