Wales vs Finland Predictions

• Both teams have scored in Wales’ last three competitive matches, including their last two at home
• Finland scored in four of their five away Euro 2024 qualifiers and their last two Nations League games on the road
• All four of the goalkeepers in the Dragons squad are out of favour with their clubs and lack recent top-level experience

Wales have worries over goalkeeper spot

Wales take on Finland in a winnable Euro 2024 qualifying play-off clash at Cardiff City Stadium on Thursday with concerns over the goalkeeping position. None of the four options in Robert Page’s squad have played any league minutes this season with Danny Ward conceding four in his latest Under-21s game for Leicester.

Ward was Page’s choice for the 1-1 home draw against Turkey last November that, alongside Croatia’s win over Armenia, meant Wales missed out on automatic qualification — so he looks likely to be the choice for this tricky test against an improving Finland side.

Markku Kanerva’s men finished third in Group H with six wins and four losses – only two of which came away from home.  The Eagle Owls beat Northern Ireland in Belfast and won in Astana, where Denmark failed to beat Kazakhstan, so a victory for the Finns would not be a total shock.

Both teams can bag in Cardiff

Kanerva will be without midfielder Robert Taylor, who has chosen to stay with Inter Miami during the international break, and Marcus Forss, who is injured, and both would have been good bench options.

Joel Pohjanpalo has been banging them in for Venezia in Serie B this season and will provide the firepower that ensures Finland make their mark in Cardiff. Page looks likely to break up the rock-solid Leeds defensive partnership of Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu to deploy the latter in midfield, which might be something to look at in the future.

But Wales have enough quality to score as well with Dan James, David Brooks and Harry Wilson all in good form, plus Brennan Johnson finding his feet again with three goals in his last seven appearances for Tottenham. Kieffer Moore could make an impact off the bench if things get desperate too.