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Wales national football team
Euro Champ Qualifying | Group Stage
Sep 6, 2019 at 7.45pm UK
 
Azerbaijan national football team

2-1

Pasayev (26' og.), Bale (84')
FT(HT: 1-0)
Madatov (59')

Connor Roberts admits Wales "have to play better than this"

Connor Roberts admits Wales
© Reuters
Ryan Giggs' side are three points adrift of Group E leaders Croatia and Hungary.

Connor Roberts feels Wales must find their form from a year ago to qualify for Euro 2020.

Wales kept in the hunt for a finals place next summer with a 2-1 home victory over Azerbaijan on Friday night.

But it was another scratchy performance from Ryan Giggs' side and victory against opponents ranked 109 in the world – 85 places below Wales – was again down to their talismanic captain Gareth Bale.

Wales v Azerbaijan – UEFA Euro 2020 Qualifying – Group E – Cardiff City Stadium
Gareth Bale spared Wales' blushes with a late winner against Azerbaijan (Nick Potts/PA)

The Real Madrid forward headed home six minutes from time to move Wales above Slovakia into third place and to within three points of Group E leaders Croatia and Hungary.

Next month's double-header against Slovakia and Croatia now looks pivotal and Swansea full-back Roberts said: "They're a brilliant team with world-class players.

"If we want to compete with them and get what we want, we have to play well.

"We have to play better than this, probably better than we have for a year or so. We have to get back to that.

"The boys have to go back to their clubs after Monday (when Wales meet Belarus in a friendly), play games and get good form.

"Then when we meet up again we can hopefully do the business."

Giggs was appointed manager in January 2018, just 18 months after his predecessor Chris Coleman had guided Wales to the semi-finals of Euro 2016.

His reign's high point came last September with an exhilarating 4-1 Nations League victory over the Republic of Ireland.

But Giggs has failed to make the most of the talented squad at his disposal in the last 12 months, much to the annoyance of an increasingly-unsettled fan base.

"There's still a lot to come," Roberts said. "Against Croatia we were touch and go, we were decent in patches.

"We had the two disappointing games (away to Croatia and Hungary) in the summer when we weren't at our best.

"We weren't at our best again against Azerbaijan. But hopefully things click sooner rather than later so we can get some momentum."

Wales v Azerbaijan – UEFA Euro 2020 Qualifying – Group E – Cardiff City Stadium
Manager Ryan Giggs has been criticised by Wales supporters for not getting the best out of his talented squad (Nick Potts/PA)

Giggs will hope to include Aaron Ramsey for the trip to Slovakia and the home game with Croatia next month.

Ramsey has yet to feature in Euro 2020 qualification because of the hamstring problem which blighted the end of his Arsenal career and have delayed his Juventus debut.

"Aaron's a brilliant player," Roberts said.

"Since I've been in the squad he's only played a handful of games.

Albania v Wales – International Friendly – Elbasan Arena
Wales have missed the creative influence of the injured Aaron Ramsey in Euro 2020 qualifying (Adam Davy/PA)

"But when he has, he does make a difference.

"As well as Gaz (Bale), you've got him up there and you've got two world-class players playing for brilliant clubs.

"You always want your best players on the park, and hopefully he can be back fit and with us next month."

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Gareth Bale in action for Wales on September 6, 2019
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Giggs hails Bale for late winner in victory over Azerbaijan
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Tables header RHS

Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Spain Spain870121
Q Scotland flag Scotland852117
3 Norway Norway832311
4 Georgia Georgia82248
5 Cyprus Cyprus80080

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
Q France France871022
Q Netherlands Netherlands860218
3 Greece Greece841313
4 Ireland Rep. Ireland82066
5 Gibraltar flag Gibraltar80080

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
Q England flag England862020
Q Italy Italy842214
3 Ukraine Ukraine842214
4 Macedonia N. Macedonia82248
5 Malta flag Malta80080

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Turkey Turkey852117
Q Croatia Croatia851216
3 Wales flag Wales833212
4 Armenia Armenia82248
5 Latvia Latvia81073

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Albania national flag Albania843115
Q Czech Republic Czech Republic843115
3 Poland Poland832311
4 Republic of Moldova Moldova824210
5 Faroe Islands Faroe Islands80262

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Belgium Belgium862020
Q Austria Austria861119
3 Sweden Sweden831410
4 Azerbaijan Azerbaijan82157
5 Estonia Estonia80171

Group G

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Hungary Hungary853018
Q Serbia Serbia842214
3 Montenegro Montenegro832311
4 Lithuania Lithuania81346
5 Bulgaria Bulgaria80444

Group H

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Denmark Denmark1071222
Q Slovenia Slovenia1071222
3 Finland Finland1060418
4 Kazakhstan Kazakhstan1060418
5 Northern Ireland flag N. Ireland103079
6 San Marino flag San Marino1000100

Group I

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Romania Romania1064022
Q Switzerland Switzerland1045117
3 Israel Israel1043315
4 Belarus Belarus1033412
5 Kosovo flag Kosovo1025311
6 Andorra flag Andorra100282

Group J

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Portugal Portugal10100030
Q Slovakia Slovakia1071222
3 Luxembourg flag Luxembourg1052317
4 Iceland Iceland1031610
5 Bosnia Bosnia H'vina103079
6 Liechtenstein flag Liechtenstein1000100


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