Euro 2024 play-off: Wales 4-1 Finland - reaction as Wales reach final

1. Winners beat Finland 4-1 to reach the Euro 2024 qualification play-off final
2. David Brooks puts Wales ahead after two minutes, turning in a rebound after Harry Wilson's initial shot
3. Neco Williams' free-kick doubled Wales' lead, but Teemu Pukki pulled one back before half-time for Finland
4. Brennan Johnson restores Wales' two-goal lead less than two minutes into second half
5. Dan James takes advantage of huge mistake to race clear and scores Wales' fourth to seal their place in the final
6. Poland will visit the Cardiff City Stadium on Tuesday night, with the winner reaching the 2024 European Championships

Nathan Blake

Former Wales striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

It won't be easy for Wales tonight, they need to be aware of the threat Finland can cause with the likes of Teemu Pukki.

Wales can't take tonight for granted, we've been there before and got burnt.

What history tells us

Wales are unbeaten in their past four meetings with Finland in all competitions, most recently a 0-0 draw in a friendly in September 2021.

However, they have never won a European Championship play-off match, drawing and losing against Hungary in 1962-1963, Yugoslavia in 1976 and Russia in 2003.

Although of course did qualify for the 2022 World Cup via the play-offs.

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Former Wales great Gary Speed in action against Russia.

BreakingTeam news - Pukki starts for Finland

Dafydd Pritchard

BBC Sport Wales at Cardiff City Stadium

Having rung the changes for their 2-1 win in San Marino last time out in November, Finland revert to a more familiar looking team.

Captain Lukas Hradecky returns in goal, while there are starts for Leeds United midfielder Glen Kamara and former Norwich City striker Teemu Pukki, who now plays for Minnesota United.

Middlesbrough striker Marcus Forss is missing through injury.

Finland: Hradecky; Alho, Tenho, Ivanov, Peltola; Schuller, Kamara Lod, Hakans; Pohjanpalo, Pukki.

Subs: Joronen, Sinisalo, R. Jensen, Hoskonen, Suhonen, F. Jensen, Soiri, Kairinen, Antman, Uronen, Kallman, Niskanen.

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BreakingTeam news - Brooks starts for Wales

Dafydd Pritchard

BBC Sport Wales at Cardiff City Stadium

BBC

Wales manager Robert Page makes two changes from the 1-1 with Turkey in November.

David Brooks returns in attack to replace Nathan Broadhead, with Harry Wilson and Brennan Johnson holding on to their starting spots in the highly competitive front three.

At the back, Chris Mepham returns from suspension to take the place of Tom Lockyer, who continues his recovery from the cardiac arrest he suffered during a Premier League match for Luton Town in December.

Wales: Ward; Mepham, Rodon, B. Davies; Roberts, Ampadu, J. James, Williams; Wilson, Brooks, Johnson.

Subs: Hennessey, King, Fox, Dasilva, Sheehan, Savage, D. James, Matondo, Broadhead, Cullen, Moore, Ramsey.

Fans ready for another Wales qualification 'rollercoaster'

Catriona Aitken

BBC News

BBC

Clare Owen is a regular watching Wales games and is preparing for another "rollercoaster" night in tonight's Euro 2024 play-off semi-final with Finland.

“It‘s an emotional rollercoaster with Cymru, so you never know which way it’s going to go," said the 44-year-old from Anglesey, who now lives in Shrewsbury.

“The atmosphere is going to be great. It will be on par with the Austria World Cup play-off semi-final.”

Clare is with husband Darren, 52, and 12-year-old son Jac, who has had the day off school to go to the game.

Should Wales win tonight, they will face Poland or Estonia in a Euro 2024 play-off final on Tuesday in Cardiff.

“More than likely Poland will get through," Darren added. "Poland will be tough! But more and more Welsh players are playing more regularly.”

Could Wales make unexpected history tonight?

Chris Wathan

BBC Sport Wales

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Aaron Ramsey's most iconic penalty for Wales was a Panenka against Serbia at the ground where the name was born

A reminder that it could go to extra-time and penalties to decide a winner tonight.

And either of those scenarios would be a first for Wales, at least in a senior men’s competitive game.

The women’s side did win their 2023 World Cup play-off semi-final with Bosnia before losing over 120 minutes away to Switzerland in the final the following week.

But as far as the men are concerned, it’ll be nervous new territory – especially if it goes to penalties.

Of course, there’s no Gareth Bale these days who was Wales’ regular penalty-taker – his last goal for Wales coming from the spot at the 2022 World Cup against USA.

The only current squad member to have scored from the spot is Aaron Ramsey, who has tucked away six goals from 12 yards in a Wales shirt - his last being the opener in the 2-0 win in Latvia last September.

Perhaps we shouldn’t mention it but the other player to step up to the spot for Wales is Harry Wilson – who missed his penalty in the September 2021 goalless draw with…Finland.

'It will be an easy win for Wales tonight'

Catriona Aitken

BBC News

BBC

Aled Ellis and Iolo Thomas are planning to go to Euro 2024 if Wales qualify

Aled Ellis has travelled down from north Wales for the game and is supremely confident ahead of tonight's win-or-bust Euro 2024 play-off semi-final with Finland.

"It will be an easy win," said the 24-year-old who has arrived in Cardiff from Blaenau Ffestiniog with mate Iolo Thomas.

"We have better quality players and Cardiff City Stadium is always rocking when Wales are at home, it’s always a great atmosphere.”

Wins against Finland tonight and play-off final triumph on Tuesday - against either Poland and Estonia in Cardiff - would mean Wales qualifying for the Euro 2024 and Aled and Iolo are planning to go to Germany.

“I’d be on the first plane out,” said Aled.

“It would mean the world because we have not been in a lot of tournaments for the past 60 years and seeing the players coming through now, getting us there, as a fan it’s great to be a part of.”

What can we expect from Finland - and their top keeper!

Dafydd Pritchard

BBC Sport Wales at Cardiff City Stadium

What can Wales expect from Finland in tonight's Euro 2024 play-off semi-final

Qualifying for the last European Championship finals was Finland's first appearance at a major tournament - now this is their first play-offs.

In their ranks, they have a player who is a major part of one of the greatest stories in European football this season - Bayer Leverkusen's performance in Germany's Bundesliga.

Xabi Alonso's side are still unbeaten at the top of the league, where they are 10 points clear of serial winners of Bayern Munich.

Leverkusen have conceded just 18 goals in 26 Bundesliga matches, thanks to captain and goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky.

He is also Finland's captain and keeper, so Wales will need to be sharp in front of goal tonight if they are to score.

Traffic building up approaching the ground

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There's congestion building up around the Cardiff West junction on the M4

As kick-off for tonight's play-off approaches, roads around Cardiff are starting to get busy - especially in the west of the city near the ground.

Congestion is reported on the M4 around the Cardiff West junction 32 and on the A4232 link road towards the Cardiff City Stadium.

Traffic build-up is also reported on the M4 westbound at Newport around the Brynglas Tunnels.

There are also minor delays on trains between Newport and Cardiff.

Transport for Wales have told fans going to the game that they have added additional capacity to services around Cardiff - for more information you can click this link.

Carl ac Alun

Welsh speakers wanting all the big match build-up can get involved with Carl and Alun on Radio Cymru by using the handy link to their show at the top of this page.

Don't forget, we have full Welsh language commentary from 19:00 GMT.

Carl ac Alun yn edrych 'mlaen at y gêm bêl-droed rhwng Cymru a'r Ffindir yn Rownd Gynderfynol Gemau Ailgyfle Ewro 2024.

BBC

Georgia lead Luxembourg at break

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It's half-time in the first Euro 2024 play-off semi-final, with Georgia leading Luxembourg 1-0 in Tbilisi.

Budu Zivzivadze has scuffed home the opener - having also hit the post - had a goal disallowed and been booked in a busy first half.

Neither side have ever qualified for a major tournament before.

Greece and Kazakhstan play later in the other semi-final in that section.

Two out of three play-off wins ain't bad

Chris Wathan

BBC Sport Wales

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Striker John Hartson dejected after Wales' only other Euro play-offs against Russia 21 years ago

The play-off record of Wales’ men is not a lengthy one – and it is a case of two out of three ain’t bad.

Wales reached both the World Cups of 1958 and 2022 via the play-offs.

John Charles and co beat Israel over two-legs back to reach Sweden 1958 - Wales' historic first major tournament qualification.

And then two years ago – in the new format also being used for these play-offs – Rob Page’s side reached Qatar after two goals from Gareth Bale saw off Austria in a March semi-final before Bale again struck to sneak past Ukraine in the June.

The only Euro play-off came almost 20 years ago when Wales faced Russia over two-legs after finishing behind Italy in the race to reach Euro 2004.

And after a promising goalless draw in Moscow in November 2023, dreams of Portugal were dashed in the Millennium Stadium four days later when Vadim Yevseyev’s 21st minute header was enough to beat Mark Hughes' team.

'The Wales shirt brings out the best in us'

Euro 2024 play-offs: 'Putting the Welsh shirt on brings out our best' - Ben Davies

Ahead of the Euro 2024 play-off semi-final against Finland on Thursday, defender Ben Davies says that pulling on the Wales shirt brings out the best in players.

Wales go into the match in Cardiff with several of their key players playing regular club football, but Davies has dismissed that as giving them any kind of advantage as he believes playing for their country has always helped them find something extra.

Euro 2024 play-offs - Who is in them and how do they work?

It is crunch time. There are 12 teams battling it out for three places.

By Tuesday night, the Euro 2024 line-up will be complete but not before nine nerve-jangling play-off ties decide the fate of a host of hopeful nations.

Will Wales secure their place a third successive major tournament? Will Kazakhstan or Luxembourg take their place among the international elite for the first time?

The play-offs start with six matches this evening, before the winners move onto Tuesday's finals.

Read more: Euro 2024 play-offs: Who is in them and how do they work?

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Ampadu to become youngest Wales player to 50 caps

Ethan Ampadu says fifty Wales caps a 'very special honour'

"That's the player you should be excited about."

BBC Sport Wales' Chris Wathan takes an in-depth look at Ethan Ampadu, who will tonight become Wales' youngest player to reach 50 international caps.

Read more: Ethan Ampadu to become youngest Wales player to 50 caps

Wales. Finland. Bantz

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Talk about stirring it up.

Some Finnish wind-up merchants have taken the now iconic Gareth Bale flag Wales. Golf. Madrid. and made a Finnish version - and put it on a billboard right in the centre of Cardiff!

Suomi. Sisu. Sauna. translates as Finland, Strength of will, Sauna.

Bantz, as the kids would say.

Welcome to fortress Cardiff

Chris Wathan

BBC Sport Wales

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A sell-out crowd of around 34,000 will be hoping for yet another special night at Cardiff City Stadium tonight

Home is where the heart is for Wales.

Captain Aaron Ramsey has spoken about home advantage in these play-offs fuelling Welsh confidence of qualification for a fourth major finals in the last decade - and there's a good reason.

Fans can reel off the history-making evenings at Cardiff City Stadium, from Belgium in 2015, Hungary in 2019 and – of course – those two World Cup play-off victories.

Aside from those atmospheric memories, there’s a fortress feel to the place where they’ve played every home qualifier since 2011.

Since 2014, Wales have lost just two qualifying games out of 24 at the ground and won 14 – that’s a win ratio of 58%.

More of the same would do Rob Page and that expectant Red Wall very nicely indeed.

'Atmosphere will be booming tonight'

Catriona Aitken

BBC News

BBC

Iestyn is going to the Wales game tonight with a bunch of mates from college

Student Iestyn Howells is going to the game with a group of mates and expects a "booming" atmosphere at the Cardiff City Stadium tonight and Wales to beat Finland.

"It will be booming," said the 20-year-old from Tonyrefail, who is studying in Cardiff.

"I think we will win today, but next final Tuesday is the big game. But it’s Wales, so I’d never be too confident!"

Iestyn is going to the game with friends Iestyn Ellison, 20, and Ethan Buckley, 19 - and talking about hopefully qualifying for the European Championships finals this summer.

"It’s something to look forward to in the summer. We have got a good chance," he said.

Welsh fans want a bit more of this please...

Watch every Wales Euro finals goal including ones that took them to the semi-finals

From not qualifying for a major tournament in 58 years, Wales are two wins away from making their fourth major tournament in five.

A win against Finland in Cardiff tonight then another over either Poland or Estonia at home next Tuesday will qualify Rob Page's men for the 2024 Euros.

So to get us in the mood for Wales trying to make their third successive European Championship finals, let's look back at all of the goals Wales have scored at a Euros - including that run to the semis in 2016.

How's it looking for fans going to the game?

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Traffic is building on the M4 heading towards Cardiff from the east

So if you are going to the game in Cardiff tonight, as things stand routes to the Welsh capital are looking no busier than normal.

There are slight delays on the M4 westbound around Newport towards Cardiff, but everyone who drives that route regularly will expect congestion at this time of day around the Brynglas Tunnels - and journey times are taking about half-an-hour longer.

There are also minor delays on trains between Swansea and Cardiff.

Transport for Wales have told fans going to the game that they have added additional capacity to services around Cardiff - for more information you can click this link.