
Fulham star Harry Wilson scored twice as Wales produced one of their best performances in a while to beat Croatia on Sunday (15 October) to reignite their hopes of qualifying automatically for Euro 2024.
In an electrifying atmosphere at the Cardiff Stadium, Wilson scored two excellent second-half goals on a dream 50th appearance for his country as the World Cup semi-finalists were thoroughly outplayed.
UK media are showering heaps of praise on the Fulham attacker, with Daily Mail (print edition, 16 October, page 69) hailing him as “wonderful” while South Wales Echo described his performance as “sensational” (print edition, 16 October, page 43).
The Daily Mail has given him an 8/10 rating for his dazzling display.
Mario Pasalic headed in for Croatia with 15 minutes left resulting in a nervy ending but Wales did really well to see off the challenge.
Wilson – star of the show
The 26-year-old is a product of Liverpool’s youth academy but he failed to represent the senior club for a long time, making only two appearances. He initially joined Fulham on loan in 2021 when they were in the Championship and the move was later made permanent.
He has managed eight appearances for the Cottagers so far, including six starts in the Premier League, but he has yet to score or provide an assist. The performance for his country will give him confidence and he should be aiming to translate that at club levels as well.
His first goal was a beautifully lofted finish following a cracking through ball from David Brooks, while his second goal came through a glancing header from a Daniel James cross.
Wales now need to beat Armenia and Turkey in their final two qualifiers in November to secure a passage to next summer’s tournament in Germany.
