Montenegro v Wales LIVE: Nations League final score and result ...
Harry Wilson is challenged by Montenegro’s Milos Brnovic (Getty Images)
Wales have beaten Montenegro 2-1 in their Nations League match in Niksic.
The visitors got off to the perfect start when Kieffer Moore pounced on the ball in the box and lashed home off the post with only 38 seconds on the clock. And just two minutes later, Harry Wilson thumped a long-range strike into the net to give Wales a two-goal lead.
Montenegro came back into the game, with captain Stefan Jovetic hitting the bar from the halfway line and missing a sitter which was well saved by Welsh keeper Karl Darlow, among an array of chances. Driton Camaj eventually pulled one back in the second half, but it was too little, too late.
The game played out in driving rain as a soaked manager, Craig Bellamy, watched his new-look side continue their more aggressive, front-foot approach. And it paid off as they added to an initial draw with Turkey in Cardiff last week with three valuable points here.
Wales face Montenegro in second match of Nations League | 7.45pm BST on S4C and BBC iPlayer
Craig Bellamy’s side secured opening draw with Turkey as Montenegro lost 2-0 to Iceland
Team news: Wales make five changes as teenager Lewis Koumas starts in attack
Wales XI: Darlow; Mepham, Rodon, Davies; Roberts, Cooper, Ampadu, N.Williams; H.Wilson, Moore, Koumas
GOAL! Montenegro 0-1 Wales (Moore, 1 min)
GOAL! Montenegro 0-2 Wales (Wilson, 3 min)
GOAL! Montenegro 1-2 Wales (Camaj, 73 min)
Full-time! Montenegro 1-2 Wales
Wales beat Montenegro for first win under Craig Bellamy21:52 , Lawrence Ostlere
A great night for Wales in the pouring rain:
Kieffer Moore (headband) celebrates with his Wales teammates (AP)
Harry Wilson fires Wales’ second goal (Reuters)
Craig Bellamy directs from the touchline (Getty Images)
Full-time! Montenegro 1-2 Wales21:42 , Lawrence Ostlere
Goalkeeper Mijatovic is sent up for the final corner of the game but he can’t get hold of the ball and the final whistle blows as Wales clear. They clinch a hard-earned win in driving rain.
Montenegro 1-2 Wales21:38 , Lawrence Ostlere
90 + 1 min: Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau rings out from the Welsh fans. Their team are almost home. Five minutes of added time.
Montenegro 1-2 Wales21:33 , Lawrence Ostlere
88 min: Ramsey knocks in a terrible corner which bounces a couple of times before being cleared away by the first man. But from a Welsh point of the view, the ball is largely staying at the right end of the pitch right now.
Montenegro 1-2 Wales21:32 , Lawrence Ostlere
85 min: Montenegro pour forwards but Wales clear their lines as a couple of crosses come into the box. At the other end, Aaron Ramsey leads a counter-attack and it ends with a free-kick on the right wing won by Thomas.
Montenegro 1-2 Wales21:29 , Lawrence Ostlere
83 min: Ben Davies is being told off by referee Georgi Kabakov after a little shoving match with his marker. Another minute ticks by.
Montenegro 1-2 Wales21:25 , Lawrence Ostlere
79 min: Ampadu is OK to continue.
Harry Wilson and Kieffer Moore are replaced by Mark Harris and captain Aaron Ramsey.
21:23 , Lawrence Ostlere
76 min: Play is stopped as Ethan Ampadu is treated for a head injury after the ball ricocheted into his face.
GOAL! Montenegro 1-2 Wales (Camaj, 73 min)21:18 , Lawrence Ostlere
Finally, Montengero score. Nikola Krstovic chases down a pretty rudimentary ball over the top and squares for Driton Camaj to knock home from close range.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales21:15 , Lawrence Ostlere
69 min: Post! Vladimir Jovovic fires against the woodwork with Darlow beaten. This game could easily be 3-3.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales21:12 , Lawrence Ostlere
66 min: A huge chance for Kieffer Moore! Wilson slips in Ben Davies sneaking into the box on the left side, who slots the ball across goal for Moore to tap home at the back post, but the big striker is sliding and can’t get full contact on the ball. He watches as it slides off his boot and just wide, with the goal gaping.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales21:09 , Lawrence Ostlere
63 min: Wales have regained control of this game after a struggling at the start of the second half. They look the more likely to score the next goal.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales21:08 , Lawrence Ostlere
60 min: Jordan James replaces Ollie Cooper in midfield.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales21:03 , Lawrence Ostlere
56 min: Brennan Johnson cuts inside from the left and unleashes a shot which is parried away by Mijatovic in the Montenegro goal. The ball bounces out to Neco Williams on the edge of the box but his shot swerves off target.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales20:59 , Lawrence Ostlere
53 min: Montenegro have been the better side at the start of this second half and Wales are struggling to make anything happen, so far.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales20:56 , Lawrence Ostlere
50 min: The game is stopped because Chris Mepham has been told to take off a necklace. A lovely bit of Sunday League business, that.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales20:55 , Lawrence Ostlere
48 min: Neco Williams gets in a little tussle on the touchline with Milos Brnovic, who tries to block the Wales wing-back from taking a quick throw-in. Brnovic then goes down holding his face as he’s pushed out of the way. Both players are booked.
Kick-off! Montenegro 0-2 Wales20:52 , Lawrence Ostlere
We’re back on for the second half at Stadion Kraj Bistrice.
Lewis Koumas, who had a quiet 45 minutes on his first start for Wales, is replaced by Nantes’ Sorba Thomas, who was man of the match against Turkey.
Watch: Harry Wilson makes it 2-0 with stunner20:47 , Lawrence Ostlere
A look at that lovely Harry Wilson strike:
Half-time: Montenegro 0-2 Wales20:36 , Lawrence Ostlere
That was a brilliant 45 minutes of football in the driving rain, kickstarted by Kieffer Moore’s opportunistic strike after 38 seconds, which was soon followed by a stunning goal by Harry Wilson from range.
Montenegro came back into the game and could, and should, have scored. Their captain Stefan Jovetic hit the bar from the halfway line, then saw his shot saved by Karl Darlow from two yards out. Ben Davies scrambled back to clear the rebound off the line, before surviving a penalty shout just before the break.
Hopefully much more of the same to come.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales20:31 , Lawrence Ostlere
42 min: A pity here, as Connor Roberts is forced off with what looks like a minor muscle injury. He’s replaced by Brennan Johnson, and it looks like Johnson will play at right wing-back, with Neco Williams on the left side.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales20:29 , Lawrence Ostlere
38 min: A big penalty shout here from the home players, and crowd, but the referee – Georgi Kabakov of Bulgaria – waves away the protests. Stefan Jovetic had headered the ball on target and it may have been going inside the far post, before it struck the arm of Ben Davies. Davies, in fairness, had his arm in a pretty neutral position by his side, but the ball travelled a couple of yards and you’ve seen them given.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales20:25 , Lawrence Ostlere
34 min: The game has entered a little bit of a lull, perhaps unsurprisingly after such a frenetic first half hour.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales20:19 , Lawrence Ostlere
29 min: How have Montenegro not scored?! First Darlow makes a brilliant point-blank save to deny captain Jovetic a couple of yards out, and then Davies gets back on the line to clear away the rebound. Great last-ditch stuff from Wales.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales20:17 , Lawrence Ostlere
25 min: Weather update: it is still raining, heavily. Craig Bellamy’s bomber jacket does not appear to be faring well. Is it even waterproof?
Montenegro 0-2 Wales20:13 , Lawrence Ostlere
21 min: Koumas pounces on a high ball and tries to dribble into the box, but the teenager is quickly bounced off the ball and Wales will have a corner, to be taken by Harry Wilson. The set-piece is too deep and it runs through for a throw-in on the far side.
20:08 , Lawrence Ostlere
18 min: Brilliant pressure by Lewis Koumas, who chases a back pass and forces goalkeeper Mijatovic to lash the ball into the stands for a Welsh throw-in. That appears to be Bellamy’s blueprint in a nutshell: high pace and hard running, and it’s working so far here.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales20:04 , Lawrence Ostlere
15 min: Oh my, almost an incredible goal! Just as Wales put together a composed spell of possession, Ethan Ampadu gives the ball away on the halfway line and Stefan Jovetic immediately fires at goal. The ball sails over the stranded Darlow and crashes against the crossbar, before bouncing behind to safety. Brilliantly quick thinking by the Montenegro captain, and a let off for Wales.
At the other end, Wales attack with pace and win a free-kickf on the edge of the box, but a tricky set-piece routine complicates the situation and Wilson fires off target at the end of it all.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales20:01 , Lawrence Ostlere
12 min: Wales have settled down after a frantic, end-to-end start to the game – mostly Montenegro’s end, it should be said. The visitors have got their foot on the ball and they are keeping it.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales19:58 , Lawrence Ostlere
9 min: A warning for Wales, though, as they drop the tempo and allow Montenegro to come forwards. A cross is fired in from the right and Nikola Krstovic is in space at the back post, but his first-time shot bounces just wide of Karl Darlow’s post with the goalkeeper beaten.
Montenegro 0-2 Wales19:56 , Lawrence Ostlere
6 min: On the touchline, Craig Bellamy is absolutely soaked through as the rain continues to tumble, but he will not care a jot. This has been the dream start.
GOAL! Montenegro 0-2 Wales (Wilson, 3 min)19:52 , Lawrence Ostlere
It’s two, and this one is a stunner! Neco Williams dribbles in from the right and touches it back for Harry Wilson, arriving on the scene around 30 yards out. Wilson takes a touch before swerving a high shot with his left which swerves and dips into the top corner.
What a crazy start to the game.
Harry Wilson fires Wales’ second goal (Reuters)
Wilson celebrates after his stunner (Getty Images)
GOAL! Montenegro 0-1 Wales (Moore, 1 min)19:50 , Lawrence Ostlere
Wow! What a start this is. Harry Wilson tries to get old of the ball on the edge of the box and it pinballs away and back off him, falling nicely into the path of Kieffer Moore, who does not hesitate to swipe a finish against the post and in from around the penalty spot. Sluggish from Montenegro but what a brilliant start for Wales.
Kieffer Moore slots home Wales’ opener (Reuters)
Wales celebrate Moore’s early strike (Reuters)
Montenegro v Wales19:47 , Lawrence Ostlere
Stefan Jovetic and Ben Davies engage in the captains’ coin toss, and it looks like the home side will kick-off.
A reminder of the Welsh line-up tonight:
Wales XI: Darlow; Mepham, Rodon, Davies; Roberts, Cooper, Ampadu, N Williams; H Wilson, Moore, Koumas.
Montenegro v Wales19:43 , Lawrence Ostlere
It is hammering down with rain in Montenegro tonight as the Welsh national anthem blares out. There are plenty of visiting fans to sing along. Kick-off is moments away...
The main talking points as Wales travel to Montenegro in Nations League19:30 , Lawrence Ostlere
Wales are away to Montenegro in the Nations League on Monday night.
Craig Bellamy’s first match in charge ended in a 0-0 draw at home to Turkey on Friday, while Montenegro were beaten 2-0 in Iceland.
Below, the PA news agency looks at the main talking points surrounding the Group B4 fixture in Niksic.
The main talking points as Wales travel to Montenegro in Nations League
‘Way more to come’ from Wales after Turkey draw – Craig Bellamy19:27 , Lawrence Ostlere
New boss Craig Bellamy promised Wales will improve after 10-man Turkey denied him a debut win in the Nations League.
Euro 2024 quarter-finalists Turkey held on for a 0-0 draw at Cardiff City Stadium, despite losing striker Baris Alper Yilmaz to a 62nd-minute red card for two bookable offences.
Bellamy said: “[The players were] outstanding. We’ve had a lot of work this week, a lot of meetings, and I’m always conscious of the load of information given to the players in a short space of time.
“They were great all week, so that gives you confidence going into the game”.
‘Way more to come’ from Wales after Turkey draw – Craig Bellamy
Montenegro v Wales talking points19:15 , Chris Wilson
Bad memories
Wales’ last visit to Montenegro in September 2010 ended in defeat and a managerial departure within days.
Marko Vucinic’s first-half finish proved the winner in a Euro 2012 qualifying tie in Podgorica, a result which signalled that end of John Toshack’s six-year reign.
Wales did win the reverse fixture 2-1 in Cardiff 12 months later, but lost the only other meeting between the two countries – a 2-1 friendly defeat in Podgorica in August 2009.
Montenegro v Wales talking points19:10 , Chris Wilson
Venue change
Montenegro are hosting a men’s senior international in Niksic, around 45 minutes north of the capital Podgorica, for the first time.
The decision was made only two weeks ago after UEFA ruled Podgorica’s National Stadium was unplayable because of craters on the surface and the large areas of grass that were missing.
Niksic’s City Stadium only holds around 5,000 and it remains to be seen whether playing there means Montenegro have lost a significant chunk of their home advantage.
Montenegro v Wales talking points19:05 , Lawrence Ostlere
Koumas chance?
One striker keen to show his goal-scoring ability is Lewis Koumas, the Liverpool teenager who has hit the Championship ground running at the start of a Stoke loan spell.
Koumas made his competitive international debut as a second-half substitute against Turkey and did not look out of place.
It may be asking too much of the 18-year-old to solve Wales’ scoring problems right now, but fans are already excited by Koumas’ arrival on the international scene.
Lewis Koumas will make his first start for Wales tonight (Getty Images)
19:00 , Chris Wilson
Scoreless streak
Wales’ failure to make the most of their opportunities against Turkey stretched their scoreless streak to four games – their worst run since 2012.
The Dragons have not scored since a 4-1 Euro 2024 semi-final play-off win against Finland in March, failing to find the net against Poland, Gibraltar, Slovakia and Turkey since.
Bellamy promised changes after the Turkey draw and ending Wales’ goal drought will be a clear priority.
Montenegro v Wales talking points18:55 , Chris Wilson
First impressions
The Bellamy era began in positive fashion against Euro 2024 quarter-finalists Turkey at Cardiff City Stadium.
Although Wales failed to score, there was an intent and vibrancy about the performance as players instantly adapted to Bellamy’s methods.
Bellamy will hope that intensity can be repeated on foreign soil just three days after putting so much into the Turkey game.
Change in system for Wales?18:53 , Lawrence Ostlere
Bellamy deployed a 4-3-3 against Turkey but it looks like he might be shifting to something more like a 3-4-3 tonight, with Mepham, Rodon, Davies at the back and Roberts and Neco Williams as wing-backs. That will give Lewis Koumas and Harry Wilson to float inside as No 10s and, hopefully for Wales, cause some havoc.
Wales make five changes as teenager Lewis Koumas starts18:49 , Lawrence Ostlere
Craig Bellamy makes five changes to the side that draw with Turkey as Danny Ward, Jordan James, Aaron Ramsey, Brennan Johnson and Sorba Thomas all drop out of the side.
Karl Darlow, Chris Mepham, Ollie Cooper, Lewis Koumas and Kieffer Moore all come into the starting XI.
Darlow replacing Ward shows that the goalkeeping position is very much up for grabs under the new manager, while Bellamy clearly feels he needs to take care of captain Ramsey after an injury-ridden year. And what a chance this is for the teenaged Koumas, the Liverpool 18-year-old on loan at Stoke City who starts tonight.
Craig Bellamy directs from the touchline (David Davies/PA) (PA Wire)
Montenegro v Wales: Line-ups18:39 , Lawrence Ostlere
Montenegro: Mijatovic; Marusic, Sipcic, Rubezic, Vukcevic; Brnovic, Jovovic; Camaj, Jovetic, Krstovic; Mugosa.
Wales: Darlow; Mepham, Rodon, Davies; Roberts, Cooper, Ampadu, N.Williams; H.Wilson, Moore, Koumas.
Wales’ Nations League game in Montenegro moved to Niksic due to Podgorica pitch18:20 , Chris Wilson
Wales’ Nations League game away to Montenegro has been moved to Niksic after UEFA deemed the Podgorica National Stadium pitch unplayable.
The September 9 fixture will take place at the 5,000-capacity City Stadium home of FK Sutjeska, although the attendance may be reduced to satisfy UEFA safety criteria.
The City Stadium has never hosted the Montenegro men’s national team since the nation became independent and joined UEFA and FIFA in 2007, only previously staging international women’s and under-21 matches.
Wales’ Nations League game in Montenegro moved to Niksic due to Podgorica pitch
18:10 , Chris Wilson
Wales began the Craig Bellamy era with a 0-0 Nations League draw against 10-man Turkey in Cardiff.
New boss Bellamy did not get the victory he would have craved at kick-off but it was a positive performance from Wales against opponents who reached the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 this summer.
Wales‘ task was made slightly easier by the 62nd-minute dismissal of Baris Alper Yilmaz, banished for treading on Neco Williams’ foot after unnecessarily confronting Joe Rodon before the break to merit a first yellow card.
Craig Bellamy brings excitement back to Wales as new era gets off to promising start
Is Montenegro v Wales on TV tonight? Kick-off time, channel and how to watch Nations League fixture17:55 , Chris Wilson
When is Montenegro v Wales?
Montenegro v Wales kicks off at 7.45pm BST on Monday, 9 September at the Gradski Stadion in Niksic, Montenegro.
How can I watch it?
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on S4C, with coverage starting at 7.20pm. Subscribers will also be able to watch via BBC iPlayer online and on the app.
Team news17:45 , Lawrence Ostlere
Wales have no new injury concerns after the draw against Turkey, with Craig Bellamy able to choose from a full squad despite a fractious match in Cardiff.
Skipper Aaron Ramsey returned to the squad after a year marked by injuries, and he can expect to keep a starting place, though he may be moved back into midfield after starting in the number nine position last week.
Sorba Thomas, who scored a disallowed goal in Cardiff, likely did enough to keep his place, with Brennan Johnson likely to keep a starting berth in the absence of Dan James.
The back four should stay the same after an assured performance last time out, while Wilson and Ampadu remain stalwarts in the Welsh midfield.
For Montenegro, head coach Robert Prosinečki has no fresh injury concerns either, and will likely name a similar team to that which lost 2-0 against Iceland last time out.
Former Manchester City forward Stevan Jovetic, once the team’s talisman, was demoted to a role from the bench last time out, but came on as a substitute. He could start upfront after an ineffective performance from Nikola Krstović.
Lazio winger Adam Marušić will likely keep his place, as will Preston North End winger Milutin Osmajić.
Montenegro v Wales LIVE17:38 , Lawrence Ostlere
Craig Bellamy’s Wales side travel to Montenegro on Monday for their second match in the Nations League, looking to grab a first win of the campaign after an encouraging draw against Turkey last week.
Wales drew 0-0 at home to Turkey, but were the better side throughout, and will travel to Montenegro knowing that they are the favourites.
Much of the build-up to the match has been dominated by the conditions of the pitch in the Podgorica, with Uefa deeming the turf unplayable and the match then being moved to Niksic.
But since last week’s result in Bellamy’s first match in charge, attention has suddenly turned to a more positive outlook on a side that struggled to a draw against Gibraltar as recently as June.
Tonight’s match will give Wales fans a better idea of whether Bellamy could be the real deal.
Montenegro v Wales LIVE17:30 , Chris Wilson
Good evening and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of tonight’s match between Wales and Montenegro in Niksic.
Craig Bellamy takes charge of just his second match for Wales, with his side looking to build on a positive first result in their new Nations League campaign.
We’ll have all the latest build-up, updates and more here.
