FOOTBALL Live

Saturday September 6, 2008 Finished Millennium Stadium

1 - 0

Wales

  • Vokes 83’

Azerbaijan

No comments yet | Write your comment

  1. World Cup qual. - Vokes nets late winner for Wales

    World Cup qual. - Vokes nets late winner for Wales

    Sam Vokes scored his first senior goal as Wales began their World Cup qualification bid with a 1-0 victory over Azerbaijan. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Wales
    • Azerbaijan
    • 16:53 Thanks for joining me this afternoon; make sure you stick with us for all the latest from World Cup qualifying...
    • 92 FULL-TIME: Wales are content to run the clock down to seal the points; they are up and running in group four.
    • 89 Toshack brings off Koumas with just a couple of minutes to go...the midfielder has been Wales best player, but missed that golden chance with his poor penalty.
    • 87 Down to ten men, there doesn't seem much chance that the visitors can pull level. Maybe Wales can get a second to secure the win?
    • 85 The relief is palpable around the stadium...that goal was a long time coming.
    • 83 GOAL! VOKES MAKES THE BREAKTHROUGH! The corner isn't cleared properly, and Vokes smashes the ball home from close range! Delight for Wales!
    • 82 WHAT A SAVE! Vokes is thwarted again by Arhayev, who brilliantly tips his header over the bar for another corner.
    • 81 OFFSIDE! Vokes makes a fine run - just a little too early - and is found by a great cross into the box...he glances his header goalwards, but is effort is saved. The flag is up anyway.
    • 79 Toshack is desperately trying to encourage his troops from the sidelines, but their heads have definitely dropped since that penalty miss...
    • 77 Vokes finds the ball at his feet inside the box after being found by Davies, but his control is poor and the ball is cleared...
    • 76 Koumas fires in a low left-foot shot from 25 yards...skidding goalwards...well saved.
    • 73 Davies is eased off the ball inside the box as he tries to get round Samir Abbasov...he wants a penalty, but there's no chance.
    • 72 WALES SUB: Vokes comes on to replace Edwards...a fourth teenager on the field for the home side, who go to a 4-4-2 formation for the final twenty minutes or so...
    • 70 The referee is getting a bit card-happy at the moment; Rail Melikov is the latest man in the booked.
    • 68 Fabio Luis Ramim is sent off for a second yellow! It looked like the referee had forgotten that he had booked the striker...Wales had to remind him that the yellow, for pulling back Koumas, was his second booking!
    • 66 SAVED! Really poor penalty from Koumas! Straight at the keeper, who also saves the midfielder's follow-up effort!
    • 65 PENALTY! Chris Gunter is brought down by Sadigov...clear foul inside the box, and the home side have a golden chance to open the scoring...
    • 64 Bale gets past his man but then unfortunately loses the ball in trying to go around a second defender. The frustration is growing for the home side...
    • 63 Koumas is booked for kicking the ball away after giving up a foul in his own half...not very clever from the veteran...
    • 61 WALES SUB: Evans comes on to replace Earnshaw; bit more of a physical presence up front for Wales...
    • 59 Bale is booked for taking a free-kick too quickly and not waiting for the referee's decision...a ridiculous call from the official, as he did blow his whistle...we all heard it.
    • 58 Bale shows his pace down the left...but can't get round Sasha Yunis Oglu...the Wales left-back looks their best attacking option at the moment, but Azerbaijan are coping with him well.
    • 56 Bale has been in the wars in the first ten minutes of this half...he is hobbling round a little at the moment.
    • 54 If Wales are to stand any chance at all of going through from this group, they need to win this match...so with every minute that passes the pressure increases...
    • 53 Koumas tries to find the run of Ledley, but he over-hits his pass and the ball runs out...the Wigan man is disappointed with himself.
    • 50 Koumas again gets to the by-line and sends over a testing cross...no Wales player can get on the end of it...Wales need Ched Evans on...
    • 49 Fabio Luis Ramim is yellow carded for shoving his forearm in the face of Bale as they jumped for the ball...cowardly.
    • 47 Bale earns a freekick after being fouled in dribbling round his man on the left...wasted as Wales give possession back to the visitors.
    • 46 The second half is underway...Agil Nabiyev comes on to replace Huseynov.
    • 45 HALF-TIME: Wales dominate the possession, but just can't make the breakthrough.
    • 44 Earnshaw twists and turns in the area, trying to work some space...he gets his shot away, but his effort is blocked on the edge of the six-yard box.
    • 42 Koumas fires in another effort from the edge of the box...deflected a few yards wide...the home side are certainly trying to test the visitors from distance.
    • 40 Wales have a couple of young strikers on the bench, Evans and Vokes...Toshack might need to turn to one of them in the second half to support Earnshaw...
    • 39 EDWARDS! JUST OVER! The midfielder earns some space with a nice step-over just on the edge of the box...but his left-foot shot is just a yard over the bar.
    • 37 Wales are dominating the possession here, but the visitors are defending well.
    • 35 Elvin Mammadov's free-kick is rather wasted...the visitors had plenty players in the box waiting for a decent delivery, but he fails to beat the first man...
    • 34 German World Cup winner Berti Vogts is the Azerbaijan manager...quite a coup for them.
    • 31 GREAT EFFORT! SUPERB SAVE! Koumas earns himself a yard of space before curling in a great effort from 25 yards...the ball is arching towards the top corner, but Kamran Arhayev tips clear!
    • 28 Wales win a free-kick when Nodar Mammadov bundles over Gunter on the right...Bale curls it in...ALMOST! The ball evades everyone, the keeper does well to react and keep the ball out...with a defender stabbing the ball out for a corner before Earnshaw could pounce.
    • 25 OVER! Javid Huseynov blasts over from a tight angle after he had won the ball in a challenge with Bale.
    • 23 Edwards releases Bale through the channel...but his low cross is cut out, with men waiting beyond...good chance for Wales to carve out a chance.
    • 21 Koumas checks onto his right and bends a low cross into the near post...Earnshaw makes the run, but the ball is cleared by a sharp defender.
    • 19 The visitors are a big strong side and they are putting themselves about...Bale is shouldered off the ball on the left.
    • 17 Koumas is getting past his marker with real ease down the left...Wales are having a lot of joy down that flank...
    • 16 A third Wales corner in the opening 15 minutes...near post again, but headed clear off the line at the near post...good alert defending from the visitors.
    • 15 Wales win a second corner...Koumas swings it into the crowded box...Morgan makes a run to the near post, but the keeper gets a good firm fist on it and punches clear.
    • 14 Edwards is very keen to get on the ball; he is searching it out whereever he can in midfield, trying to put his mark on the game, to dictate the tempo...
    • 13 Bale swings over a deep, high cross to the back post...well dealt with by the left back, who jumps above Earnshaw to nod clear.
    • 10 GREAT EFFORT! Subasic contests a high ball 25 yards out...the ball drops at his feet, and the striker lets fly with a snap-shot...saved for a corner by the keeper, who had to be alert to keep that out!
    • 8 Koumas opts against pulling the trigger on his left foot when in a good position...he passes to Bale, who attempts to dribble through to goal, losing the ball on the edge of the box.
    • 7 The visitors win a free-kick, 35 yards out...Luis Ramam attempts a rather ambitious effort...curled high and wide.
    • 4 Bale looks like he has been given plenty of licence to get forward from left-back...he will be a threat...
    • 2 Good start from Wales...Koumas gets past his man and to the by-line, but his cross is picked out of the air by the inexperienced keeper.
    • 1 Off we go!
    • 14:54 Nottingham Forest striker Robert Earnshaw has got the nod up front for Wales in the absence of injured duo Craig Bellamy and Freddy Eastwood.
    • 14:48 The roof is closed at the Millennium Stadium, which the scant crowd will be delighted about.
    • 14:38 Hi; welcome to our coverage of Wales opening match as they look once more to qualify for a major tournament...

  • Summary

    • 83 GOAL! VOKES MAKES THE BREAKTHROUGH! The corner isn't cleared properly, and Vokes smashes the ball home from close range! Delight for Wales!
    • 82 WHAT A SAVE! Vokes is thwarted again by Arhayev, who brilliantly tips his header over the bar for another corner.
    • 68 Fabio Luis Ramim is sent off for a second yellow! It looked like the referee had forgotten that he had booked the striker...Wales had to remind him that the yellow, for pulling back Koumas, was his second booking!
    • 66 SAVED! Really poor penalty from Koumas! Straight at the keeper, who also saves the midfielder's follow-up effort!
    • 65 PENALTY! Chris Gunter is brought down by Sadigov...clear foul inside the box, and the home side have a golden chance to open the scoring...
    • 39 EDWARDS! JUST OVER! The midfielder earns some space with a nice step-over just on the edge of the box...but his left-foot shot is just a yard over the bar.
    • 31 GREAT EFFORT! SUPERB SAVE! Koumas earns himself a yard of space before curling in a great effort from 25 yards...the ball is arching towards the top corner, but Kamran Arhayev tips clear!
    • 28 Wales win a free-kick when Nodar Mammadov bundles over Gunter on the right...Bale curls it in...ALMOST! The ball evades everyone, the keeper does well to react and keep the ball out...with a defender stabbing the ball out for a corner before Earnshaw could pounce.
    • 10 GREAT EFFORT! Subasic contests a high ball 25 yards out...the ball drops at his feet, and the striker lets fly with a snap-shot...saved for a corner by the keeper, who had to be alert to keep that out!

Live Team Line-Up

There is no formation available for this game

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account