August Newsfile

Newsfile Archive

Here is the match report from Total Wales.
YOUNG WALES roared to a dream start in the Uefa qualifying group eight as they gunned Georgia down at Penydarren Park last night.

The young Dragons took one step nearer Germany 2000 thanks to startling second-half goals from Rhodri Jones and Rob Earnshaw and will go into Wednesday’s clash with Switzerland at Barry fully charged.

Wales included two players from Premiership clubs at the start - centre backs Rhodri Jones from Manchester United and skipper Ryan Valentine, an Evertonian.

And Wales had the perfect start as Cardiff’s Earnshaw struck inside the opening 27 seconds.

A looping ball caught out the square Georgians, and Zambian-born Earnshaw turned inside Edil Sajaia before beating Zurab Mamaladze from a tight angle.

Georgia had initally offered little coming forward, but on the half-hour midfielder Malkhaz Asatiani threatened twice - the link man seeing one power drive blocked by Valentine, another 20-yarder floating over Lee Kendall’s goal.

Kendall then thwarted Tsezar Khurodze superbly on 35 minutes, but was helpless as the hit-man venomously struck 60 seconds later. Drifting into midfield, the Skonto Riga teenager turned before unleashing a thunderous 30-yard right foot shot into the net.

The overrun Welsh conjured a startling sucker-punch on 58 minutes. Michael Fowler’s inswinging left-side free-kick mesmerised a static Georgia defence and Jones rose to net from six yards.

Shell-shocked Georgia buckled again eight minutes from time as Earnshaw netted a third - his second of the night.

In the other qualifying game the Italians drew 0-0 with the Swiss at Jenner Park, Barry.