Dan James was making his first competitive appearance for Wales
Wales held on for victory against Slovakia in Cardiff to make a winning start to their Euro 2020 qualifying campaign.
The hosts flew out of the blocks with attacking intent and led inside five minutes as Daniel James struck his first international goal with a bullet of a shot from 20 yards.
Wales had chances to extend their lead but risked squandering it against a resurgent Slovakia, for whom Albert Rusnak and Robert Mak both had shots saved by Wayne Hennessey.
The Wales goalkeeper then made a crucial intervention with eight minutes left as he palmed away Michal Duris's close-range header, before David Hancko missed the rebound as the visitors pressed for an equaliser.
Ryan Giggs' side, the second seeds in Group E behind World Cup finalists Croatia, lived dangerously in the closing stages but they defended resolutely to cling on for what could prove to be a crucial win against Slovakia, the group's third seeds and potentially their closest rivals for one of the two automatic qualifying places.
More to follow.
- Relive Wales v Slovakia as it happened
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Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text
Line-ups
Wales
1Hennessey
14Roberts
5Mepham
15Lawrence
4Davies
16WilsonSubstituted forVaulksat 87'minutes
7AllenBooked at 53mins
8Smith
20JamesSubstituted forWilliamsat 73'minutes
10BrooksBooked at 60minsSubstituted forRobertsat 60'minutes
11Bale
Substitutes
2Gunter
3Dummett
6Williams
9Roberts
12Ward
13John
17Matondo
18Vaulks
19Hedges
21Davies
22Woodburn
23Thomas
Slovakia
23Dubravka
2PekaríkSubstituted forSafrankoat 90'minutes
3VavroBooked at 31mins
14Skriniar
16Hancko
19KuckaBooked at 90mins
22LobotkaBooked at 41mins
17HamsikBooked at 86mins
10Rusnák
8DudaSubstituted forDurisat 65'minutesBooked at 69mins
20MakBooked at 15minsSubstituted forStochat 69'minutesBooked at 90mins
Substitutes
1Kozácik
4Stetina
5Satka
6Gregus
7Mihálik
9Stoch
11Bero
12Rodák
13Hrosovsky
15Chrien
18Safranko
21Duris
Referee:
Felix Zwayer
Match Stats
Home TeamWalesAway TeamSlovakia
Possession
Home42%
Away58%
Shots
Home14
Away13
Shots on Target
Home4
Away4
Corners
Home4
Away3
Fouls
Home10
Away18
Live Text
Posted at
Match ends, Wales 1, Slovakia 0.
BookingPosted at 90'+6'
Juraj Kucka (Slovakia) is shown the yellow card.
Full TimePosted at 90'+6'
Second Half ends, Wales 1, Slovakia 0.
Posted at 90'+5'
Corner, Slovakia. Conceded by Chris Mepham.
Posted at 90'+5'
Attempt blocked. Miroslav Stoch (Slovakia) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Juraj Kucka.
BookingPosted at 90'+3'
Miroslav Stoch (Slovakia) is shown the yellow card.
Posted at 90'+3'
Hand ball by Michal Duris (Slovakia).
Posted at 90'+2'
Attempt blocked. Ben Davies (Wales) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
SubstitutionPosted at 90'
Substitution, Slovakia. Pavol Safranko replaces Peter Pekarík.
Posted at 89'
Attempt blocked. Will Vaulks (Wales) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Posted at 89'
Attempt blocked. Gareth Bale (Wales) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Wayne Hennessey.
Posted at 88'
Attempt missed. Juraj Kucka (Slovakia) left footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left.
SubstitutionPosted at 87'
Substitution, Wales. Will Vaulks replaces Harry Wilson.
BookingPosted at 86'
Marek Hamsik (Slovakia) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Posted at 86'
Foul by Marek Hamsik (Slovakia).
Posted at 86'
Tyler Roberts (Wales) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Posted at 84'
Attempt missed. Peter Pekarík (Slovakia) header from the right side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Marek Hamsik with a cross.
Posted at 83'
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Posted at 82'
Delay in match David Hancko (Slovakia) because of an injury.
Posted at 82'
Attempt missed. Juraj Kucka (Slovakia) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Peter Pekarík with a cross.
Posted at 82'
Attempt saved. Michal Duris (Slovakia) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Albert Rusnák with a cross.
Posted at 80'
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Posted at 79'
Delay in match Harry Wilson (Wales) because of an injury.
Posted at 79'
Attempt missed. Albert Rusnák (Slovakia) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Marek Hamsik.
Posted at 77'
Juraj Kucka (Slovakia) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 77'
Foul by Matthew Smith (Wales).
Posted at 76'
Attempt missed. Gareth Bale (Wales) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right from a direct free kick.
Posted at 75'
Foul by Stanislav Lobotka (Slovakia).
Posted at 75'
Gareth Bale (Wales) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Posted at 74'
Dangerous play by Albert Rusnák (Slovakia).
Posted at 74'
Matthew Smith (Wales) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 74'
Offside, Wales. Harry Wilson tries a through ball, but Tyler Roberts is caught offside.
Posted at 74'
Attempt saved. Harry Wilson (Wales) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Gareth Bale with a cross.
SubstitutionPosted at 73'
Substitution, Wales. Ashley Williams replaces Daniel James.
Posted at 72'
Foul by David Hancko (Slovakia).
Posted at 72'
Tyler Roberts (Wales) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Posted at 71'
Foul by Peter Pekarík (Slovakia).
Posted at 71'
Matthew Smith (Wales) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
SubstitutionPosted at 69'
Substitution, Slovakia. Miroslav Stoch replaces Robert Mak.
BookingPosted at 69'
Michal Duris (Slovakia) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Source: bbc.com