It's been a tough few months for Kieffer Moore.
A January move to high-flying Bournemouth was supposed to be the next step in an already impressive Championship career. In a Cardiff City side just outside the play-off reckoning last season, the 29-year-old still netted 20-odd goals - a tally that left him seemingly destined to one day step into the spotlight of the Premier League.
Moore was the first Cardiff player to strike 20 league goals in a decade. His importance to the Bluebirds was perhaps only matched by his prominence in the plans of Wales, whose boss Rob Page must have been quietly encouraged by a move that felt like a step towards top-flight football, an ambition that was always going to be beyond Cardiff's grasp this season.
But things haven't quite gone to plan for Moore since leaving the Bluebirds. He was forced off with a foot injury just four minutes into his debut against Birmingham back in February, keeping him on the treatment table for just over two months, ruling him out of the World Cup play-off semi-final with Austria and then the original date for the final with Scotland or Ukraine in the process.
READ MORE: Swansea City's 'massive moment' in Bournemouth collapse as Russell Martin addresses Mark Allen exit
However, fate has taken a hand and Moore will be available for the re-arranged date of the final - with the big centre-forward may well feeling he has a point to prove.
Wales beat the Austrians comfortably enough without him, with Harry Wilson, Dan James and Gareth Bale occupying the more offensive positions in the team. With Aaron Ramsey and Joe Allen needing to play, plus five at the back, something will need to give if Moore is to get back into the side for Wales' biggest game in years on June 5.
However, if there was any danger of anyone in the Wales camp forgetting what Moore brings to be the table after such a long lay-off, he provided was a timely message against Swansea City on Tuesday night. With Bournemouth trailing 3-0, a fit again Moore was came off the bench to strike twice in the final 18 minutes to help his side earn an unlikely point.
Swansea boss Russell Martin felt Moore was lucky to stay on the pitch due to an alleged elbow on Flynn Downes moments after his opening strike. But on the whole it was an outing that showcased the best of the imposing number nine. Martin himself also admitted the withdrawal of Ben Cabango wore down his side's aerial competitiveness - and Moore was the perfect candidate to put them to the sword.
Bournemouth boss Scott Parker labelled him 'unplayable' following his heroics at the Swansea.com Stadium, while Moore himself was visibly delighted to be back in action.
"I feel good," he told the club's official website. "It's ultimately a game where we wanted to come away with three points. But to come back in the way we did and for me to personally get my first goals for the club is amazing. A point at this stage of the season isn't the end of the world.
"It's never easy to get a setback straight away when you join a new club," he added. "Breaking my foot four minutes in [to my debut] which isn't ideal. It's been long. It's been hard. But I feel like that it was maybe something special for the all the hard work I've put in.
"The first thing when I got injured and had the surgery, it was always about 'how quickly can I get back?' That was always on my mind and I wanted to be up there to help the lads. Hopefully now I can play a massive part in getting us promoted. That's genuinely all we want. We're working very hard. Everyone's working so diligently to get us promoted. If I can play my part I'll be more than happy."
Moore now hopes he can play a key role in Parker's plans for the final run-in, with the Cherries eager to cement second place despite Nottingham Forest breathing down their necks.
"I felt like I got through that nicely," Moore added. "I don't feel like I'm fully where I want to be, but I'm going to work hard. I'm going to look after myself and I'm going to prepare to my best extent. Full focus on Saturday now."
If he can find his best form between now and the end of the season, it will certainly spell good news for Wales in six weeks' time. Moore's sharpness was perhaps all the more pleasing given that he seemingly had little time on the training ground ahead of the trip to Swansea.
"He's had practically two days of training if that. He's been out for 10 weeks nearly," Parker said. “I didn't want to bring him on as early as we brought him on. I thought 10, 15 minutes if we needed him. But in terms of the state of the game and where we were, I felt we needed him to come on and try and make the difference and he did that. He was unplayable when he came on.”
Wales take on either Scotland or Ukraine at Cardiff City Stadium on June 5.
