And breathe. Into six of seven minutes of second-half stoppage time David Brooks sealed Wales’s crucial victory. Seconds before the relief when Danny Ward claimed a free-kick was audible from thousands of Wales supporters. Rob Page proclaimed he would take a scruffy one-nil win and while it was hardly smash and grab, they had to sweat to a earn a crucial win that revives their hopes of automatic qualification. Aaron Ramsey’s 100th senior career goal, from the penalty spot, opened the scoring but Wales also endured their share of hairy moments.
A 15-second countdown to kick-off was displayed on the big screen at one end of this no-frills stadium within walking distance of the cobbled old town. At that moment Page, who last week acknowledged the external negativity surrounding his team and on the eve of the game did not hide from questions about his future amid mounting scrutiny, could be forgiven for wondering whether this would be the last time. Wales had won one of their previous 13 matches, that unconvincing 1-0 win coming against Latvia in Cardiff in March.
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