Wales enjoy the high life

There has been precious little opportunity for the Welsh to celebrate international success at any level for many, many years. Not since 1958 have the senior team qualified for the finals of a major tournament, but the current Under-21 squad are showing them the way forward with a set of impressive results to propel them to the top of their 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifying group.

Evans impresses
Ched Evans, a young man making waves with Norwich City FC after joining on loan from Manchester City FC, scored twice as Wales won 4-0 in Malta on Tuesday to seize the leadership of Group 10, a point clear of Romania and France. They have three matches to play, one more than the French, and next face Bosnia-Herzegovina away in March. Then come crucial home-and-away fixtures against Romania at the start of next season.

High scorers
Wales's fourth win in their five group games, they lost their opener in Grenoble against France last September, was in doubt for over an hour in Corradino as Malta proved obdurate opponents. Then Evans headed home. The floodgates opened in the last ten minutes as Brian Flynn's team scored three more, first as Simon Church pounced from close range. Darcy Blake then set up Rhys Williams for the third before Evans completed the scoring via a penalty. It was the third successive outing that Wales had racked up four goals.

Achievement
What makes the achievement particularly noteworthy is the youthful nature of the squad with an average age that qualifies them for the Under-19 age group. So many young players have been pressed into service with John Toshack's senior group that it has created opportunitites for others. And they have flourished. "Players have moved up into the senior squad and stayed there and that has opened the door to those behind them," said Flynn. "If young people see an opportunity they like to face that challenge and the chance to play in the senior team is a huge motivating force."

'Favourites'
Some of those who have graduated to the senior squad, incuding Gareth Bale, Wayne Hennessey and Neil Eardley, to name but three, might be asked to return to the junior set-up as Wales seek the two wins in their last three games that will clinch qualification. It is all in marked contrast to the time, not that long ago, when the Welsh Under-21s went on a long run without victory. "There's pressure on us now and we've never had that before," admitted Flynn. "Normally we are the underdogs so it will be a question of how we handle being favourites."