Wales v Montenegro – Live updates

Craig Bellamy continued his unbeaten start to life as Wales manager after a Harry Wilson penalty was enough to earn the hosts a 1-0 win over Montenegro at Cardiff City Stadium.

Bellamy is the first-ever Wales manager to oversee three unbeaten games - two draws and a win coming into this - and he now extends that record to four after the narrow win in the Welsh capital.

It should have been far more comfortable, truth be told, but Wales missed a number of gilt-edged chances, particularly in the first half. Taking any of them would have made their life far easier in the latter stages of the tie.

Instead they had to rely on a first-half penalty from the in-form Wilson, who also won the spot-kick, to ensure Wales come away with eight points from their first four matches of this UEFA Nations League campaign, a record which sees them sitting second in their group after two camps.

Bellamy opted for no fewer than seven changes from the side which drew 2-2 out in Iceland on Friday, including a first Wales start for Mark Harris. The head coach did not have suspended duo Brennan Johnson and Jordan James - not to mention the absences of Dan James, Aaron Ramsey and Ethan Ampadu, to boot - but the manner in which they started the game seemed to suggest they were unlikely to be missed.

Bellamy's boys shot out of the traps at Cardiff City Stadium. There was concise and creative interplay from Harry Wilson, David Brooks, Neco Williams and Co in attack and Montenegro were forced to take on a defensive brief for much of the early exchanges.

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The only disappointment for the hosts in Cardiff was that despite their utter dominance, the back of the net was yet to ripple in the first half an hour despite a flurry of chances.

Wilson had early put a wicked cross on a plate for Wes Burns, who could only steer his diving header wide of the mark from a couple of yards out. It left Bellamy on his haunches on the touchline, but he applauded the genius of Wilson and endeavour of Burns shortly after.

The Montenegrins couldn't live with Wilson, who was being deployed slightly deeper then he was in Iceland at the weekend. After 21 minutes, he hit a defence-splitting pass through to Liam Cullen, who had made a clever run in behind before poking over the goalkeeper - and the bar.

Brooks also grew into the game on the right flank. It was in fact his effort which led to Wales's opener. He found a morsel of room 25 yards out and hit a sweet low shot bound for the bottom corner which forced Igor Nikic into a diving save. The resultant corner proved important.

Wilson was the recipient of the ball from a short-corner routine with Brooks and he drove to the corner of the box. Vladimir Jovovic was overzealous in his challenge and the Fulham man rarely needs a second invitation to hit the floor after feeling contact. There was a couple of seconds of hesitant from referee Filip Govea, but his whistle eventually rang out amid the deafening appeals of the Wales faithful inside Cardiff City Stadium and he duly pointed to the spot.

Wilson stepped up and slotted coolly down the middle. Some form he is in, that's eight goal involvements in his last nine games in a red jersey.

Given how dominant Wales had been in the first half, they would have hoped to step their foot on the visitors' throats after the break. But four substitutions, including the introduction of former Manchester City man Stevan Jovetic, meant the visitors started the second period the better of the two sides.

That was demonstrated when Andrija Radulovic, one of the half-time subs, chopped inside Ben Davies before letting off a thumping drive from 20 yards which pinged off the crossbar.

Both sides rang the changes, including a first Wales appearance for Joe Allen since the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

It became more of an arm-wrestle the later the game went on. Wales had their moments through some breakaways but generally the contest evened out, with both defences having to stand up to fairly rigorous scrutiny.

It should have been more, Bellamy will know that, but he will also know his Wales side are sitting pretty after four games.

Wales XI: Darlow; N Williams, Cabango, Rodon, B Davies, Burns (Thomas 69); Sheehan; Brooks (Allen 59), Wilson (Broadhead 69), Cullen (Cooper 89); Harris (Moore 89).

Subs: Ward, A Davies, Mepham, Norrington-Davies, Koumas, Roberts, Beck.

Montenegro XI: Nikic; Marusic (M. Vukcevic 46), Vujacic, Sipcic, Vukcevic (Radunovic 46); Bakic; Camaj (Radulovic 46), Jankovic (Kuc 82), Jovovic, Krstovic; Mugosa (S. Jovetic 46).

Subs: Mijatovic, Petkovic, Tuci, M. Vukotic, Rubezic, I. Vukotic.