Gibraltar vs. Cymru | 2024 A Internationals – EURO Friendlies – Grp A

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      Live ReportMatch Summary

      1. Full-time verdict: The result will be remembered long after this 90 minutes has been forgotten as Cymru are held to a 0-0 draw against Gibraltar. Rob Page named an experimental side and gave a number of youngsters the opportunity to impress, but not even the introduction of his senior attacking players on the hour mark could alter the scoreline. All the possession and all the chances, but Cymru just could not find a way through. A tougher test awaits on Sunday against Slovakia.

      2. Kieffer Moore with an acrobatic effort which also clears the crossbar as we head into the final seconds of the match. It’s now or never for Cymru.

      3. Dan James tries his luck with a free-kick from the edge of the area but his effort narrowly clears the crossbar. Seven minutes of injury-time will be a relief for Cymru but a goal is desperately needed to prevent Gibraltar from ending a run of 13 straight defeats.

      4. A chance for Cymru as Dan James cross is just a little too high for Kieffer Moore. Page’s side have just a few minutes left to find the winning goal.

      5. Substitution

        JOSEPH CHIPOLINA replaces LIAM WALKER

      6. Yellow card

        CREW Charles

      7. Charlie Crew replaces Charlie Savage for his senior debut just a few days short of his 18th birthday.

      8. Substitution

        CREW Charles replaces SAVAGE Charlie

      9. Ben Cabango makes his 8th senior appearance for Cymru this evening.

      10. Another positive change for Cymru as Lewis Koumas comes on for his senior international debut in place of Liam Cullen. The 18-year old Liverpool striker only made his U21 debut in March and scored the winner in the 2-1 victory over Lithuania in Newport. A big opportunity for him this evening in what time remains.

      11. Substitution

        KOUMAS Lewis replaces CULLEN Liam Jamie

      12. Substitution

        AYOUB EL HMIDI replaces ETHAN JOLLEY

      13. Cymru are getting closer to that opening goal with two very effective corners. Definitely more urgency now as we pass the midway point of the 2nd half.

      14. Charlie Savage makes his second senior appearance for Cymru. Both caps for the midfielder have been against Gibraltar.

      15. Rubin Colwill gets some close attention from the Gibraltar midfield.

      16. Substitution

        MOORE Kieffer Roberto Francisco replaces COLWILL Rubin

      17. Substitution

        JOHNSON Brennan replaces STEVENS Fin

      18. Substitution

        JAMES Daniel Owen replaces MATONDO Rabbi

      19. Significant substitutions for Cymru as Kieffer Moore, Dan James and Brennan Johnson enter the field with the score still 0-0.

      20. The closest that Cymru have come to open the scoring, and in a bizarre way. Josh Sheehan’s corner comes off the inside of the far post before Gibraltar clear their lines.

      21. Joe Low carries the ball out of defence.

      22. Cymru do seem to be moving the ball around a little quicker in the opening exchanges of this 2nd half and with more purpose. Encouraging start but a goal is desperately needed for his side to take control of this match.

      23. Substitution

        KING Thomas replaces DAVIES Adam Rhys

      24. A change for Cymru at half-time as Tom King replaces Adam Davies in goal for what is also his senior international debut. Gibraltar start the 2nd half with Page opting against any outfield changes at this stage.

      25. Yellow card

        EVAN DE HARO

      26. Half-time verdict: As expected, Cymru have had all the possession in this match, but the only real effort on goal has come from Liam Cullen and Page will expect much better from his side in the 2nd half. Gibraltar have defended deep for long periods but their confidence has visibly grown as their tactics continue to frustrate Cymru, and this will also be a concern for Page as he heads down the tunnel.

      27. Not too much for the Cymru fans to get excited about in Portugal so far. Page has a few attacking options on the bench including Kieffer Moore, Dan James, Nathan Broadhead, Brennan Johnson and Lewis Koumas and there will inevitably be some changes in the 2nd half.

      28. Wes Burns tries to create a chance for his side despite the challenge of James Scanlon.

      29. Liam Cullen forces Gibraltar goalkeeper Jaylan Hankins to make the first save of the game as his effort from the edge of the area is parried away. Cymru will want to get that opening goal before half-time.

      30. Yellow card

        SHEEHAN Joshua Luke

      31. A yellow card for Josh Sheehan for a raised boot in his challenge on Tjay De Barr. No complaints from the Cymru captain on that one.

      32. Rob Page may have expected his side to have created a couple more clear chances as we reach the midway point in the opening half. Cymru have enjoyed all the possession, but have struggled against what can only described as ‘Y Wal Goch’ as the red shirts of Gibraltar defend in numbers.

      33. Rubin Colwill is the only player in this Cymru starting line-up who has scored a senior goal for his country, and he only has the one goal to his name.

      34. The pace of Rabbi Matondo will no doubt cause Gibraltar problems this evening and will be a key part of Cymru’s attacking approach.

      35. Cymru camped in the Gibraltar half for the early exchanges which probably sets the tone for the evening ahead. It was a similar situation when the two teams met at Wrexham last year with Gibraltar sitting deep and looking to frustrate their opponents.

      36. The Cymru fans are in great voice as this experimental and youthful line-up sing the national anthem here at the Estadio Algarve. Both teams are ready to go as captain Josh Sheehan exchanges pennants on his first senior Cymru appearance.

      37. Lovely moment for Josh Sheehan as the naming of the starting XI confirms his selection as captain for the match.

        Scroll further down this timeline for his comments on this proud moment from the MD-1 press conference.

      38. Rob Page provides a pre-match interview after revealing his squad and handing debuts to Fin Stevens and Jay Dasilva.

      39. Gibraltar have announced their team to play Cymru.

      40. The Starting XI 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

      41. LAST TIME

        Cymru and Gibraltar have only ever met once before and that encounter was in October 2023 at STōK Cae Ras, Wrexham.

        Rob Page’s team won the game 4-0. Kieffer Moore scored twice with Ben Davies and Nathan Broadhead also getting on scoresheet.

        Read a match report by clicking here.
        Take a look at the game as is happened in the match centre by clicking here.

      42. Yellow 👋

      43. LEWIS KOUMAS

        “There’s a couple of other young lads here and we can share the experience together.”

        Lewis Koumas could make is Cymru debut against Gibraltar if manager Rob Page gives him the nod in today’s match in Portugal.

        Get to know Koumas in this exclusive RedWall+ interview.

        Click here to watch the interview

      44. Josh Sheehan, Fin Stevens and Rob Page all took part in this afternoon’s MD-1 press conference. All three sessions are available to watch on RedWall+.

      45. JOSH SHEEHAN

        Rob Page has announced that Josh Sheehan will captain Cymru in the international challenge match with Gibraltar on Thursday.

        Sheehan explained to BBC Wales Sport how surprised he was with the news. “He told me this morning – he pulled me aside after breakfast and said ‘you are playing tomorrow’ and he just dropped in there ‘you are going to be leading the boys out’,” Sheehan said.

        “I couldn’t really believe it to be honest – it’s not something I thought was going to happen. I was happy to be playing the game and try to show what I am about. To lead the boys out is something you dream about.”

      46. WATCH

        In May 2023 Charlie Crew captained Cymru U17s in their first EURO finals appearance since 1981, and this month he has received his first call-up to the senior squad.

        Find out more about Crew’s journey to Rob Page’s squad on RedWall+.

        Watch here

      47. As the Cymru squad meet up for camp, Matt Baker has been called up to the senior team for the first time for the matches against Gibraltar and Slovakia. Meanwhile, Joe Rodon and Connor Roberts have withdrawn from the squad.

        Defender Baker has been capped seven times at U21 level and has been a key part of Matty Jones’ squad for the current U21 qualifying campaign.

      48. There is no live report available for this match

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