UEFA.com works better on other browsers
For the best possible experience, we recommend using Chrome, Firefox or Microsoft Edge.

EURO friendly report card: Wales

With Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey absent, Wales experimented, but a home draw and a defeat in recent days asked questions of Chris Coleman's usually reliable defence.

Simon Church after scoring from the penalty spot against Northern Ireland
Simon Church after scoring from the penalty spot against Northern Ireland ©Getty Images

Results
Thursday: Wales 1-1 Northern Ireland (Church 89p; Cathcart 60)
Hennessey (Ward 46); Gunter, Matthews, Chester, A Williams; Vaughan (Allen 71), G Williams (Isgrove 62); Ledley (Crofts 46), Cotterill, Lawrence (J Williams 63); Vokes (Church 76).

Wales manager Chris Coleman named an experimental starting lineup as both sides changed their defensive shape. On a slippery playing surface, Craig Cathcart opened the scoring, turning to shoot past substitute goalkeeper Danny Ward. However, in the final minute, Wales substitute Simon Church dusted himself down to equalise from the penalty spot.

Monday: Ukraine 1-0 Wales (Yarmolenko 28)
Hennessey; Gunter, Chester, A Williams (Richards 65), Davies, Taylor (Henley 72); Allen, Huws (Ledley 79), J Williams (MacDonald 61); Lawrence (Bradshaw 72), Church (Vokes 61).

Andriy Yarmolenko's well-taken half-volley earned Ukraine their second 1-0 win in four days. The Dynamo Kyiv winger, playing on his home ground, turned adroitly inside the penalty area to fire Ruslan Rotan's lofted free-kick past Wayne Hennessey at his near post. Wales were once again without Gareth Bale, who is at home following the recent birth of his second daughter, and the injured Aaron Ramsey.

Joe Allen tracks Ukraine midfielder Denys Garmash
Joe Allen tracks Ukraine midfielder Denys Garmash©AFP/Getty Images

What we learned
1) If Wales are to make any sort of impression in France the availability of talismanic duo Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey will be crucial. Credit to Joe Allen for taking on their role with a strong performance in a physical test against Ukraine.

2) Midfielder Jonathan Williams may not enjoy regular top-flight football at Crystal Palace but his international performances are certainly not suffering as a result.

3) Goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey has new competition in young Liverpool shot-stopper Danny Ward, who made his international debut against Northern Ireland after an impressive loan spell in Scotland with Aberdeen.

Questions remain
• Can forward Tom Lawrence can be considered a certainty for the finals squad? The 22-year-old impressed against the Netherlands in November but left Coleman wanting more this time.

• How will the Wales defence, vulnerable under pressure, handle some of the best strikers in the world at UEFA EURO 2016?

• Where are goals going to come from? Centre-forwards Hal Robson-Kanu and Sam Vokes have both had limited goal returns for Wales, and while Church scored from the penalty spot against Northern Ireland, he offered little else.

EURO star: Gareth Bale

Room for improvement
With key players absent, Coleman experimented, but Wales remained predictable when things were not going well. Goals will not score themselves at the finals, but of more concern is the fact that the defence that played a significant part in qualification lacked decisiveness and organisation in these games.

EURO certainties (if fit)
Goalkeepers: Wayne Hennessey (Crystal Palace).

Defenders: Chris Gunter (Reading), Ashley Williams (Swansea City), Ben Davies (Tottenham Hotspur), James Collins (West Ham United), Neil Taylor (Swansea City).

Midfielders: Joe Allen (Liverpool), Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal), Joe Ledley (Crystal Palace), Andy King (Leicester City), Jonathan Williams (Crystal Palace), Emyr Huws (Wigan Athletic).

Forwards: Gareth Bale (Real Madrid), Sam Vokes (Burnley), Hal Robson-Kanu (Reading).

Media view
Chris Wathan, WalesOnline writer
"Wales' warm-up games have not quite poured cold water on the EURO 2016 excitement, but did remind that they can't freeze in France. Because an impressive enough evening out in Ukraine was cruelly and crucially undermined by one lapse in concentration which ensured Chris Coleman's side lost this penultimate game before it all kicks off on June 11 ... but there was nothing on show to suggest the red-hot excitement shouldn't return before this June adventure."

Selected for you