Although the remaining World Cup campaign is little more than minor interest to Welsh fans, today's well earned, if unspectacular victory in Baku was heartening.
More so as it was again a patchwork side shorn of the likes of Bale, Davies, Koumas, Bellamy, Collins, Gabbidon leaving them to field kids, the average age being 21 with Earnie the elder statesman at 28 and Simon Church getting a promising debut when he hasn't yet started a game for his club side. However it's 2 games as Captain for Joe Ledley and 2 wins, sweet.
Wales: Hennessey, Eardley, Williams, Morgan, Nyatanga, Gunter, Ledley, Ramsey, Edwards, Church Earnshaw
Azerbaijan sensed victory and a crowd of almost 27,000 were present - far more than usual when Wales play there - but the Welsh were the better first half side and took a deserved interval lead as DAVE EDWARDS pounced on a loose ball after a drilled Earnshaw cross was blocked.
The 2nd half was more of a struggle with the boys tiring and on the back foot for the final 20 minutes but despite nervy moments, Wayne Hennessey was never seriously tested and they ground out victory.
Wales remain 4th and unless they perform heroics while others above them slip up, that is also where they are destined to finish a disappointing campaign.
| P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | PTS | ||
| 1 | Germany | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 4 | 14 | 16 |
| 2 | Russia | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 12 |
| 3 | Finland | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 10 |
| 4 | Wales | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 7 | -2 | 9 |
| 5 | Azerbaijan | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 | -5 | 1 |
| 6 | Liechtenstein | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 15 | -14 | 1 |
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