Wales snatch a draw in Spilt, oh what a night for Nathan Broadhead
Wales earned a draw in Split last night as Robert Page’s Wales side started their Euro 2024 qualification campaign with an away point in Croatia. Nathan Broadhead bagged the point with a tap in deep in to injury time in Split. Up until then Wales looked like they had survived with just a 1-0 defeat until the equaliser.
Regardless of the prose that will be written about this game the history books will reflect a 1-1 draw and potentially the hardest away game in the group navigated well. Croatia had their chances and failed to take them before a gritty Wales side forced the draw. It was a long throw from Connor Roberts deep in to injury time which was nodded on for Broadhead (below with Ethan Ampadu) to score on his Wales debut. The Ipswich Town player alert enough to seize the opportunity.
Before that Dan James failed to convert a great chance having been put in by a superb Harry Wilson pass. Defensively Wales were sound enough apart from the goal for Croatia scored by Andrej Kramaric ( below ) who put Neco Williams and Joe Rodon to the sword to put Croatia 1-0 up. A few minutes before the half ended Harry Wilson smashed a free kick just over the crossbar to remind the Croatians this game wasn’t over.
Kramaric, Borna Sosa and Mateo Kovacic all had decent chances to put the game to bed however their composure and poor finishing let them down. Bangor born Broadhead now twenty four years of age was in tears after he scored as he celebrated with the large red wall following. Renditions of Calon Lan echoed around the Stadion Poljud from the nigh on two thousand away fans throughout the game with flags from all over the country representing their national side.
Last night of course was an excellent start to the campaign to qualify for Germany 2024, but it will stand for nothing if Tuesday nights game at home to Latvia falls by the wayside.
Croatia: Livakovic; Juranovic, Sutalo, Gvardiol, Sosa; Modric (C) (Majer 90+1), Brozovic, Kovacic (Pasalic 76); Kramaric (Vlasic 76), Livaja (Musa 52), Perisic.
Subs not used: Grbic, Labrovic, Stanisic, Barisic, Erlic, Ivanusec, Orsic, Vida.
Goal: Kramaric 28
Yellow card: 🟨 Juranovic 31
Wales: Ward; Roberts, Mepham, Rodon, Williams; Morrell (J James 90+2), Ampadu; Wilson (Broadhead 64), Ramsey (C) (Burns 64), D James (Thomas 64); Moore (Bradshaw 70).
Subs not used: King, A Davies, Fox, Cabango, Lockyer, Cooper, L Harris.
Goal: Broadhead 90+3
Yellow card: 🟨 Ampadu 25
Referee: João Pinheiro 6/10 : Managed the game well.
Attendance: 34,000
Wales will now host Latvia in their second Euro 2024 Qualifier in Cardiff on Tuesday, kick-off 7.45pm, while Croatia face an away game in Turkey on the same day, with kick-off also taking place at 7.45pm.
Stats
* Wales' equaliser at 92 minutes and 25 seconds was their first shot on target against Croatia in the match.
* Five of Wales' last seven goals in all competitions have come in the final 10 minutes of the match, with three of those (including tonight's) coming in the 90th minute.
* Nathan Broadhead's late equaliser saw him become the first player to score on his international debut for Wales since Ben Woodburn against Austria in September 2017.
Wales' qualifying campaign
March 25: Croatia (a)
March 28: Latvia (h)
June 16: Armenia (h)
June 19: Turkey (a)
September 11: Latvia (a)
October 15: Croatia (h)
November 18: Armenia (a)
November 21: Turkey (h)
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