Wales made a winning start to their Nations League campaign as Kieffer Moore struck a late goal to secure victory in Finland.
Fielding a young and inexperienced team in the absence of several senior players, Wales had an early goal disallowed as Moore pushed a Finnish defender before heading in.
Finland missed a glorious chance to take a second-half lead when Leo Vaisanen somehow volleyed against the post from a yard out.
Then with 10 minutes left, Daniel James – Wales’ most potent attacking weapon in Helsinki – sped down the left wing and played a perfect low cross for Moore to convert from close range.
That well-worked goal was a rare moment of quality in a second half that had threatened to fizzle out into something of a non-event for Ryan Giggs’ side.
But the Wales manager could reflect with some satisfaction on a promising evening which saw the emergence of further fledgling talents, including debuts for Manchester United midfielder Dylan Levitt, Liverpool full-back Neco Williams and Swansea City centre-back Ben Cabango.
Although Nations League matches are competitive and carry the potential reward of play-offs for major tournaments, Giggs has always maintained he would use them as opportunities to develop younger players and this was another such example.
In Thursday’s other Group B4 fixture, the Republic of Ireland drew 1-1 in Bulgaria. On Sunday, Wales host Bulgaria at Cardiff City Stadium, while the Republic of Ireland are at home to Finland.