Four games, five goals, two wins, two draws, two clean sheets. Craig Bellamy’s Wales vision is anything but painting by numbers but the hard facts offer plenty of promise. Harry Wilson’s third goal in his past three games for his country, this one from the penalty spot, earned victory and led to the Fulham midfielder becoming the first Welshman since Gareth Bale at Euro 2016 to achieve the feat. Wilson is becoming a key player having been involved in eight goals in his past nine Wales appearances (five goals, three assists).
Joe Allen, 685 days after last pulling on a Wales shirt for a miserable defeat by England in Qatar, entered in the second half to a warm ovation after reversing his decision to retire from duty. Not that it was a sentimental move from Bellamy, who sought to prevent another second half spiralling out of control.
“It was not a romantic one, we just really needed him at that time,” said the Wales manager, the first to go unbeaten in his first four matches, though he was quick to dismiss that statistic. “Please, play that down. I ain’t got a clue what’s happening. I’m such a rookie, I really am. You’re just getting a feel … it’s enjoyable, it really is.” Then came the payoff. “But when you’re shouting and no one can hear you, it’s really annoying,” Bellamy said, smiling.
One of the prime issues Bellamy has to contend with is familiar: the volume of Wales players not exposed to regular game time who arrive on international duty undercooked in terms of fitness. Ben Davies, again Wales captain in the absence of the injured Aaron Ramsey, is yet to play a single minute for Tottenham in the Premier League this season. Neco Williams, the architect of both of Wales’s goals in Iceland on Friday and again impressive here, has started three games for Nottingham Forest this campaign. Bellamy acknowledged it is far from ideal but also that Wilson’s fine form for his country makes a mockery of it all. “It’s strange, huh?” Bellamy said in the buildup to the match. “I didn’t realise he was this good.” Wilson has played about 40 minutes in the league this term, but almost 350 for Wales across four matches.
Wilson was Wales’s most dangerous player in a first half they dominated, registering almost three times as many passes as Montenegro, and his wicked delivery on 12 minutes almost led to another early opener. Wilson’s left-footed cross from the right dropped on the edge of the visitors’ six-yard box. Mark Harris, on his first Wales start, twisted his head but failed to make contact and, at the back post, Wes Burns headed wide. Five minutes later Wilson twisted clear of Nikola Sipcic in the box and saw a shot repelled by Igor Nikic. Then Wilson released Liam Cullen but the Swansea striker lifted his shot over.
It seemed a matter of time before Wales would ripple Nikic’s net. Williams sent a cross skidding across the box, Adam Marusic extinguishing the danger. David Brooks twice tested the Montenegro goalkeeper before Wilson won the all-important penalty on 34 minutes, chopping inside Vladimir Jovovic. After a long wait, Wilson stepped up and sent Nikic the wrong way.
“So good,” Bellamy said of Wilson, who made his Wales debut in 2013 aged 16. “He’s so intelligent, he’s like a footballer’s footballer. I was there when he made his debut and I’ve watched him from afar, but when you get the opportunity to work with someone at close range, [you realise] he’s so good, such a talented footballer. When I’m watching him, I’m just like: ‘Wow.’”
Robert Prosinecki made four changes at the interval, with Stevan Jovetic, Montenegro’s record goalscorer who joined Omonia Nicosia this month, among those introduced. Wales, meanwhile, sought more of the same given the manner in which they had faded in the second half in Bellamy’s previous games.
But it was Montenegro who came closest to scoring after the break. Jovetic smacked the crossbar from halfway in Niksic when these teams met last month, Bellamy’s first win as Wales manager, but another substitute, Andrija Radulovic, obliged in rattling the woodwork here. The 22-year-old bounced in off the right, cut inside Davies and curled a rising shot against the bar.
Wales needed to restore control and so Bellamy turned to Allen, the 34-year-old who retired from international duty after the 2022 World Cup. Allen replaced Brooks approaching the hour to win his 75th cap.
Burns failed to lob Nikic in a rare second-half opening for Wales. Nathan Broadhead, another second-half arrival, dallied when he had a chance to make it 2-0 and Williams went close late on. But, in the end, Wilson’s spot-kick was sufficient. Bellamy’s nascent management career is four games old, his second camp over. “Right, go for a walk, feed the ducks tomorrow,” Bellamy said.
