UPDATED: ' Wales Tonight '

UPDATED:


Woodburn finishes from close range in injury time for Wales


A different Wales come Sunday. goes without saying.


Very boring first- half

Wales 1 Trinidad & Tobago 0

H/T 0-0



Wales: Ward, Gunter, A Williams (C), Dummett, Taylor, Vaulks, Evans, Hedges, G Thomas, Woodburn, T Roberts.

Subs: A Davies, Smith, John, J Lawrence, Matondo, C Roberts, Wilson.

Trinidad and Tobago: Phillip, David, Cyrus, Bateau, Hodge, Paul, George, Hyland (C), Garcia, Lewis, Plaza.

Subs: Frenderup, Foncette, Mitchell, Cato, Peltier, Russell Jr, Humphrey, Hackshaw, Jones, Williams Muckette.






Wednesday 20th March 2019






' Wales v Trinidad and Tobago Big Match Guide '


Wales take on Trinidad & Tobago in their first match of 2019 tonight.








Here's everything you need to know about the friendly encounter in Wrexham.





What time is kick-off?

The match at the Racecourse ground gets under way at 7:45pm.







Is it on TV?

Yes, the match will be shown live on S4C and on Sky Sports.

Coverage on S4C gets underway at 7:25pm while the pre-match buildup on Sky Sports' Football and Main Event channels starts at 7:40pm.

Alternatively, you can follow live updates on our live match blog which will be on WalesOnline's Football page from around 5pm.


What is the latest team news?


Wales will be without Aaron Ramsey, Tom Lawrence, Sam Vokes and Ethan Ampadu for the clash with the Soca Warriors.

Ramsey has been struggling with a thigh problem and didn't train with the rest of the squad in Manchester on Tuesday morning, although the Arsenal man should return to action to face Slovakia.

But Lawrence (ankle), Ampadu (back) and Vokes (groin) all failed to link up with the squad at Manchester United's Carrington training complex and will not feature for Wales this week.

Daniel James, James Lawrence and David Brooks trained away from the main group on Tuesday but should be in contention to feature.

Wales boss Ryan Giggs at a press conference (Image: Ian Cooper/North Wales Live)
What has Ryan Giggs said?

"Players are at different stages so some players need games, some don't," said Giggs.

"It's a good opportunity with the friendly fixture that we can do that (mix up selection). We'll just have to see as we go along in the game.

"Going back to why I wanted to play the game here (in Wrexham), it's a friendly and I wanted a full house which it looks like we're going to get rather than having a potentially half empty stadium.

"And it's a thank you to the fans in the north aswell. They've got a game on their doorstep which doesn't happen very often."





Predicted lineup

Wales: Hennessey; Gunter, Williams, Mepham, Dummett; Vaulks, Smith, Evans; Wilson, Matondo, T Roberts.


What are the latest betting odds?

(Odds courtesy of Sky Bet, correct at time of publishing)

Wales win 1/6

Draw 5/1

Trinidad & Tobago win 14/1

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With that line and those odds a bet on Trinadad and Tobago and/or the draw might be worth doing.

I might have missed something but why would Bale not be in the predicted line up? Has he got a knock/played a a lot for Madrid lately?

I might have missed something but why would Bale not be in the predicted line up? Has he got a knock/played a a lot for Madrid lately?

A chance for somebody else to get a game.

Trinidad hardly world beaters.

Wales: Ward, Gunter, A Williams (C), Dummett, Taylor, Vaulks, Evans, Hedges, G Thomas, Woodburn, T Roberts.

Subs: A Davies, Smith, John, J Lawrence, Matondo, C Roberts, Wilson.

Trinidad and Tobago: Phillip, David, Cyrus, Bateau, Hodge, Paul, George, Hyland (C), Garcia, Lewis, Plaza.

Subs: Frenderup, Foncette, Mitchell, Cato, Peltier, Russell Jr, Humphrey, Hackshaw, Jones, Williams Muckette.

Pretty even start
Wales have seen plehnty of the ball iun these opening exchanges, but are being matched well by the visitors, who test Danny Ward with Hyland’s tame effort from distance.

Poor game / fans not impressed after 38mind

H/T 0-0

Looks like no outfield changes at HT, Adam Davies coming on

Brave line up from Giggs, would have been easy to field a stronger team to get another win on his record but probably wouldn't have leant much. Great to see fringe players getting a run out irrespective of the result, the big one is Sunday.

Brave line up from Giggs, would have been easy to field a stronger team to get another win on his record but probably wouldn't have leant much. Great to see fringe players getting a run out irrespective of the result, the big one is Sunday.

Expect only two players to start Sunday this game is about giving fringe players game time so not expecting it to be a great game? Sunday is what's it all about.

Not sure why we went with so many youngsters. We could have done with a bit of a spark or high level quality just to boost the others and make sure of the win.

The north Wales fans deserved a slightly stronger team aswell in all fairness. A lot of them would not have seen the national team live and we played the 3rd team.


The Trinidad midfielder Hyland looks decent in all fairness

The ball finally made the net but



Ball in the net
Roberts has headed home but it won’t count.

It’s flagged for offside, and alas it looks like the correct decision.


It just seems one of those nights

Wales improved vastly second-half

A different Wales come Sunday. goes without saying.

GOAL! Wales 1-0 Trinidad

Wales win 1-0 thanks to a late goal.

Good experience for the team who played, but nowhere near a team you’d expect will play in the qualifying campaign.

Woodburn finishes from close range in injury time for Wales

Wales win 1-0 thanks to a late goal.

Good experience for the team who played, but nowhere near a team you’d expect will play in the qualifying campaign.

Agreed Ned

Brave line up from Giggs, would have been easy to field a stronger team to get another win on his record but probably wouldn't have leant much. Great to see fringe players getting a run out irrespective of the result, the big one is Sunday.

its what I expected. massive game Sunday and picked weak opponents to conform with FIFA now wanting teams with free dates during international windows to play friendlies on open dates.
doubt Giggs or the FAW wanted this game

Why Gareth Bale missed Wales' win over Trinidad and Tobago


Thursday 21st March 2019


Ryan Giggs admits he didn't want to risk playing Gareth Bale against Trinidad and Tobago ahead of Wales' opening Euro 2020 qualifier with Slovakia on Sunday.

Bale suffered an ankle injury in Real Madrid's Champions League defeat to Ajax earlier this month but returned to action for Los Galacticos on Sunday, scoring his side's second goal in a 2-0 win over Celta Vigo.

Fans had hoped to watch the 29-year-old in what was Wales' first match at Wrexham's Racecourse ground in more than a decade.

But the record goalscorer of the Welsh men's side was not included in the squad, with Bale watching on from the stands as Wales secured a 1-0 win over the Soca Warriors thanks to Ben Woodburn's injury time goal.

And Giggs has revealed it was too much of a risk to throw Bale into the limelight ahead of the clash with Slovakia at Cardiff City Stadium.
"Gareth, it was his first full 90 minutes in three months (on Sunday)," said the Wales boss.

"He took part in a little bit of training yesterday and trained this morning really well but it was just too much of a risk with Sunday in mind and that was the case with a few of the players.

"I gave the chance for players to push forward for selection on Sunday and also kept a lot of players fresh.


"We've got this advantage in the first game. Slovakia play on Thursday and then again on Sunday afternoon. It's a two-and-a-half day turnaround so I wanted to make sure that we made that advantage count this week, both physically and mentally preparing for the game.

"It's disappointing for the fans. They want to see the likes of Gareth but it's also my job to make sure that we are ready for Sunday."

And when asked if he can understand the frustrations of the fans at not seeing Bale in action, Giggs responded: "Yes I can.

"Originally when I planned for the game, it was going to be a first half and then we'd make changes.

Wales 1-0 Trinidad

"(David) Brooks took a knock to the ankle at the weekend, Harry Wilson and Connor Roberts have played a lot of games, Aaron (Ramsey) picked up that little knock. Gareth as I've just explained.

"So it was just a big risk. What it did, it gave me the opportunity to look after them earlier in the week. A lot of them trained, and they trained really well.

"But I'm pleased with getting the result in the end and it's disappointing for those fans not to see Gareth.

"We've got a few bumps and bruises but we've got Friday and Saturday to prepare."

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Wales 1-0 Trinidad and Tobago



Wales claimed victory at the death in their first appearance at the Racecourse in more than a decade



By Ian Mitchelmore & Tom Coleman


Sport

Ben Woodburn's injury time effort earned Wales a slender victory in their friendly clash with Trinidad and Tobago on their return to Wrexham's Racecourse ground.

More than 10,000 fans packed out the North Wales venue, but there was very little to inspire the Red Wall ahead of the Euro 2020 qualifier with Slovakia at Cardiff City Stadium on Sunday until Woodburn bundled home at the death.

George Thomas, Tyler Roberts and Woodburn were among those to have decent openings for the home side during a low key encounter.

Although the clearest chance of the game fell to Trinidad and Tobago's Aubrey David who had a shot cleared off the line by Chris Gunter.

The hosts will look completely different at the weekend, and with the likes of Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey to return, they will be aiming to serve up a far better performance in the Welsh capital on Sunday.


Wales were making their first appearance at the Racecourse in more than a decade, with John Toshack being at the helm when the Red Dragons defeated Norway 3-0 in their last appearance at the venue in February 2008.

A much changed side from the friendly loss to Albania in November saw the likes of Neil Taylor, Lee Evans and Ryan Hedges drafted in, with only Danny Ward and Gunter retaining their places in the starting XI from that defeat in Elbasan.

Reading man Gunter - who made his international bow at the Racecourse against New Zealand - was the only survivor from the last Wales team to play in Wrexham.

And Rotherham man Will Vaulks was handed a first ever Wales cap by Giggs.

But there was no place for talisman Bale - who made his international debut against the Soca Warriors in 2006 - as he was rested ahead of Sunday's Euro 2020 qualifier with Slovakia in Cardiff.


Wales - 74 places above Dennis Lawrence's side in the FIFA rankings - started the brighter of the two teams, with Roberts heading into the arms of Marvin Phillip from a Hedges cross early on.

But the visitors soon settled and proved a tough nut to crack, with captain Khaleem Hyland firing into the arms of Ward in the 10th minute.

Hedges looked lively in the opening phases, but the Barnsley man was unable to fully connect with Gunter's cross to test Phillip.

And Woodburn failed to test the Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper with a header from Vaulks' cross soon after.

Wales' best move of the opening 45 came just before the half hour mark as Evans teed up Thomas, although the Scunthorpe man fired just over.

Wales 1-0 Trinidad


But in truth, a shadow Wales XI struggled to create many clear cut openings in a low key opening half.

Thomas tried his luck from distance once again just before the break, although his low driven shot went wide of the mark as the score remained level at half time.

Barnsley goalkeeper Adam Davies replaced Ward at the break, becoming the 12th player to be given his international debut by Giggs in the process.

And Wales looked to get on the front foot immediately after the restart as Woodburn ran at the visitors' defence before attempting to play Roberts through on goal, although his pass was just too heavy for the Leeds United man.

George Thomas

Thomas continued to look threatening at the business end of the pitch and forced Phillip into a save with a snap shot from the left.

And Roberts jinked his way through the opposition defence before drilling a left-footed shot at goal, although his effort was always rising as it sailed over the crossbar.

But Wales almost went behind on the hour mark as David fired at goal, but Gunter was on hand to clear off the line after Davies had been left stranded.

Thomas had a shot blocked by Kevan George just after James Lawrence and Declan John had replaced Ashley Williams and Paul Dummett respectively.

And Vaulks was the next to have efforts for the hosts, although he was twice denied in quick succession with efforts from the edge of the box.

Wales finally thought they had broken the deadlock soon after as Hedges' dink over the away side's defence was headed home by Thomas, but the 21-year-old was in an offside position.

Woodburn failed to keep a header on target as the game ticked into the final quarter while Evans was perhaps fortunate to only be shown a yellow card for a late challenge on Leston Paul in the final stages.

But Woodburn was on hand to bundle home in the third minute of injury time to earn his side victory.


Tyler Roberts

Wales: Ward (A Davies 46); Gunter, A Williams (C) (J Lawrence 60), Dummett (John 60), Taylor; Vaulks, Evans, Hedges; G Thomas, Woodburn, T Roberts (Matondo 68).

Subs not used: Smith, C Roberts, Wilson.

Yellow card: Evans 80

Goal: Woodburn 90+3

Trinidad and Tobago: Phillip, David, Cyrus, Bateau, Hodge, Paul (Hackshaw 80), George, Hyland (C), Garcia (Peltier 60), Lewis, Plaza (Cato 46).

Subs not used: Frenderup, Foncette, Mitchell, Russell Jr, Humphrey, Jones, Williams Muckette.

Yellow card: George 45

Attendance: 10,326

Referee: Mr Tim Marshall

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