Wales v Finland LIVE: Result and final score after Euro 2024 play-off semi-final
Wales took a major step towards this summer’s European Championship in Germany and now face Poland in Tuesday’s play-off final
Wales beat Finland tonight in the Euro 2024 play-off semi-finals as they bid to join England and Scotland in the tournament this summer. David Brooks, Neco Williams, Brennan Johnson and Dan James got on the scoresheet in a comprehensive 4-1 win.
Rob Page’s side have now qualified for a play-off final against Poland on Tuesday, also in Cardiff, after the Poles beat Estonia. The winner of that match will book their place at the Euros.
Wales qualified for both of the past two European Championships, memorably reaching the semi-finals in France in 2016 where they were beaten by eventual champions Portugal, before they were knocked out by Denmark in the round of 16 in the delayed Euro 2020. Wales also qualified for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar but failed to win a game and were knocked out in the group stage.
Follow all the latest reaction from Wales v Finland in their Euro 2024 play-off semi-final below.
Wales 1-0 Finland
8 min: A big moment for Finland! A bouncing balls falls for Hakans in the box, but he can’t quite judge his finish and he slashes it over the bar.
Wales 1-0 Finland
5 min: Incredible stuff. Finland have finally settled into the game a little, stringing a few passes together at the back, but they look shell-shocked.
GOAL! Wales 1-0 Finland (Brooks, 3)
Wow! Wales’ players match the electric atmosphere with a rapid start. Harry Wilson cuts inside from the left and winds his way into the box with a brilliant dribble. His shot is saved, but the ball bounces kindly for David Brooks to knock into the half-empty net.
Kick-off! Wales v Finland
This Euro 2024 play-off semi-final is under way.
Wales v Finland
Here we go, then! The anthems are over and the match is about to get under way in a packed Cardiff City Stadium...
Preview: Wales face a third-generation problem to make it three in a row at Euro 2024
For a last bit of pre-match reading before kick-off, here’s football reporter Karl Matchett’s preview on the game:
Wales or Finland, Poland or Estonia. One of that quartet will be at Euro 2024; the other three will watch on from afar or ignore the entire tournament, too raw from getting so close and yet having no reward.
Whether they all deserve another shot is a different matter, and an irrelevant one; the crossover between Nations League and European Championship qualifying means three “paths” will effectively see three lucky losers make the finals.
If it came down to history, there would be an obvious split in the camp. Two, of course, have little heritage at major tournaments: Estonia have never reached a finals, Finland only once – Euro 2020, where they made further history with a victory.
Poland have great recent success, making four Euros finals in a row as well as two World Cups, but with a population of nearly 40m, they’d perhaps expect to do so. Wales, by contrast, have a population of a little over 3 million. They’d not reached any kind of tournament for almost half a century and yet in recent times they have continually found ways to defy the odds. Even so, this latest challenge represents a different and difficult one for them.
Full preview:
Wales face a third-generation problem to make it three in a row at Euro 2024
Rob Page’s team face Finland in the play-off semi-finals, with Poland or Estonia next up to reach the European Championship
Wales must at their best to beat Finland in Euros play-off, says Page
“The biggest learning curve for me over the last 12 months, irrespective of who we are playing against, is we have to bring our A-game,” Page said at his pre-match press conference.
“We have to deliver the same values that gets us success, then the results will take care of themselves. Our record at home is exceptional and we’re in good form at this moment in time. Most of the squad are out playing football for their clubs, training has been excellent.
“We have gone through similar experiences with the pressure of the (World Cup) play-off situations against Austria and Ukraine, and the difficulty surrounding that. We are all quite relaxed but not underestimating the challenge. There’s everything to play for but we’re fully prepared for it.”
Finland coach Markku Kanerva
“Wales came close to qualifying straight to the Euros and are a good side. They have shown that in the campaign, they beat Croatia at home and played a draw away and that tells a lot.
“Wales have very good talented individuals and a lot of Premier League players. They don’t have a big name like Gareth Bale now, but they play well as a defensive unit and have a lot of attacking power.”
Finland talking points
Record scorer Teemu Pukki remains Finland’s main marksman at the age of 33. The former Norwich striker now plays in Major League Soccer at Minnesota United. Other notable players include Hradecky, Leeds midfielder Glen Kamara and Middlesbrough striker Marcus Forss. Finland, like Wales, finished third in their Euro 2024 qualifying group behind Denmark and Slovenia. They completed a double over Northern Ireland but were beaten at home by Kazakhstan. Finland’s FIFA world ranking of 60 is 31 places below Wales’ 29.
Wales talking points – Here we go again
Wales have fond play-off memories after reaching the 2022 World Cup through football’s version of the last-chance saloon. Austria and Ukraine were both beaten in Cardiff as Wales made the most of home advantage – and the Dragons have again been dealt a kind hand to qualify for Euro 2024. On those occasions, however, Gareth Bale was the difference and Wales can no longer call on their retired superstar. It is time for the post-Bale generation to stand up, with Wales on the brink of a third successive European Championship and a fourth major tournament in five.
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