Ched is heaven for Welsh youngsters

Mar 26 2008 icWales

Bosnia-Herzegovina U21 1-2 Wales U21

CHED Evans’ goal two minutes from time handed Wales Under-21s a fifth straight win in their European Championship qualifying campaign.

Boubacar Dialida Diabang gave the home side a second-half lead, before Simon Church looked to have saved a point in the 86th minute.

But Evans, currently on loan at Norwich from Manchester City, secured a win that guarantees the Welsh youngsters will remain top of Group 10 going into their double-header against main rivals Romania.

Manager Brian Flynn brought in Tottenham youngster Chris Gunter at right-back for Darcy Blake in the only change from last month’s 4-0 win in Malta.

Wales had hammered Bosnia 4-0 in the reverse fixture at the Racecourse Ground last November, but the hosts’ pacy attack was a major threat early on.

Wrexham’s Mike Williams had a first-half ’goal’ ruled out for shoving at a Joe Jacobson corner as the opening period ended goalless.

It looked set to be a costly decision when the Bosnians took the lead in the 59th minute. Welsh goalkeeper Owain Fon Williams should have done better with Diabang’s low 20-yard shot – but it somehow squirted from his grasp and into the net.

The goalkeeper's embarrassment was eased when Church drilled home the equaliser, and Evans then clinched the win with a clinical finish for his seventh of the campaign.

Today’s victory in Sarajevo leaves Flynn’s team with a good chance to qualify for the tournament finals in Sweden in 2009.

Bosnia goal: Boubacar Dialiba 58

Wales goal: Simon Church 86
Wales goal: Ched Evans 88

Bosnia-Herzegovina U21
Buric, Colic, Benovic, Cejvanovic, Covic, Likic, Jelic, Aganovic, Zec, Dialiba, Zivkovic.

Subs: Sehic, Handzic, Puric, Masic, Papaz, Huseinovic, Stokic.

Wales U21
Fon Williams, Gunter, Rhys Williams, Mike Williams, Jacobson, Allen, Ramsey, MacDonald, Collison, Evans, Vokes.

Subs: Taylor, Basey, Bradley, Church, Edwards, Wilson, Brown.

Referee: Alexey Kulbakov (Belarus)