The Verdict: Wales claim Nations League win as Hackett enjoys ref's 'great performance'

[p]It's fair to say that things hadn't gone as well as Craig Bellamy and his [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/wales/YcUP0Nqp/"]Wales[/a] squad would've liked in this season's Nations League, as they prepared to face a Norwegian side who had scored in their last 10 matches in all competitions, winning six of them.[/p][h2]Bobb silences Cardiff City Stadium[/h2][p]Due in no small part to the goalscoring prowess of talisman [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/haaland-erling/UmV9iQmE/"]Erling Haaland[/a], and the silky skills of captain [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/odegaard-martin/ID32TGhp/"]Martin Odegaard[/a] amongst others, Stale Solbakken's side were going to present another tough test for the Dragons.[/p][p]The visitors had only made two changes, one of which was [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bobb-oscar/GzxuaXeQ/"]Oscar Bobb[/a], whilst Bellamy had opted to bring in five new faces to his starting XI: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dasilva-jay/IwVjF8o7/"]Jay Dasilva[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/james-jordan/j3EexUWf/"]Jordan James[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cabango-benjamin/0xs82ck2/"]Ben Cabango[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/koumas-lewis/MDHKl4LO/"]Lewis Koumas[/a], and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cullen-liam/2wZOKugF/"]Liam Cullen[/a] coming in for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/savage-charlie/dUPprmAb/"]Charlie Savage[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mepham-chris/pCBbLqCa/"]Chris Mepham[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/moore-kieffer/hdRQXlN9/"]Kieffer Moore[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/roberts-connor/SlheWi73/"]Connor Roberts[/a], and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/johnson-brennan/6XhWIWPP/"]Brennan Johnson[/a].[/p][embed guid="270076ca-b132-41e8-844e-b714d02232cf" url="https://x.com/FulhamFC/status/2105742044220006870/photo/1" social-type="twitter" /][p]Referee Alejandro Jose Hernandez Hernandez and his team had little to do in the opening exchanges, though it wasn't long before Bobb opened the scoring.[/p][p][b]"The visitors were growing in confidence, and deservedly took the lead,"[/b] Hackett noted. [b]"Martin Odegaard played a sublime through ball to Bobb whose first touch was perfect, and he coolly slotted the ball beyond [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ward-danny/48S9d2N4/"]Danny Ward[/a] at the goalkeeper's near post. Wales had it all to do from that point."[/b][/p][h2]Dan James pokes home[/h2][p]Bobb was certainly one of the standout players in the first half, with 18 of his 19 passes finding their target for a magnificent 94.7% pass completion. With [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/berge-sander/KCY13JFl/"]Sander Berge[/a] posting an even better 96.9%, the hosts were left chasing shadows for long periods.[/p][p]Although Wales' [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/thomas-sorba/YHDXXra7/"]Sorba Thomas[/a] would only go on to win one of his six total duels, he'd already attempted five crosses in the opening half hour, as the hosts attempted to stifle [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/norway/8rP6JO0H/"]Norway[/a]'s creativity by getting the ball down the channels as often as possible.[/p][embed guid="5278e79b-d374-4588-9902-a4583578a9a5" url="https://x.com/Cymru/status/2105744853854568450" social-type="twitter" /][p]As half-time approached, Welsh exuberance spilt over. [b]"Jordan James' yellow card for a reckless challenge on Martin Odegaard was the correct decision by the referee,"[/b] Hackett agreed.[/p][p]Just a minute later and Wales were on the scoreboard, however.[/p][p][b]"Wales have their first goal of the Nations League A campaign!" [/b]Hackett enthused. [b]"Liam Cullen won possession from Sander Berge and Lewis Koumas stepped in to feed Thomas. He crossed to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/james-daniel/UctCitdL/"]Dan James[/a], who scored from the edge of the six-yard box for his 11th goal for Wales, and it's deserved."[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/norway-8rP6JO0H/wales-YcUP0Nqp/?mid=zasB5MiC"]Catch up on all the Wales vs Norway stats with Flashscore![/a][/b][/p][infobox id="5a8fbd57-e97c-4bdc-9f6b-fb0fb254e893" /][h2]Great start to the second half for Wales[/h2][p]James' first Nations League goal since the 18th of November 2020 against Finland came amid a flurry of chances for the hosts, though Norway were still having the lion's share of the ball, seeing 70% of it in the 15 minutes leading into the break.[/p][p][b]"Just 20 seconds into the second half, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/heggem-torbjorn/8di4FI7n/"]Torbjorn Heggem[/a] was sent off for dragging down Dan James just outside the Norwegian penalty area," [/b]Hackett said.[/p][image alt="Wales v Norway - Momentum shift" id="66c75bb1-7171-4790-ae6e-abc369657650" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="f87387fb-bbe7-487a-9dfd-930bcd742ec7" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p][b]"It was the correct decision by the referee as the Denial of an Obvious Goal Scoring Opportunity (DOGSO) was met. The Law states: [i]The following must be considered: *distance between the offence and the goal, *general direction of the play, *likelihood of keeping or gaining control of the ball and *location and number of defenders and attackers."[/i][/b][/p][p]Worse was to follow for Solbakken's side as Wales scored from the resulting free-kick.[/p][embed guid="e2b51a9f-b896-4aef-9bb8-4b2567fcd7fa" url="https://x.com/Cymru/status/2105786318206713994" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]"Norway goalkeeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nyland-orjan/UJ9btoDi/"]Orjan Nyland[/a] took a step to his left, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/williams-neco/YVxu86Hs/"]Williams[/a] found the bottom of the opposite corner,"[/b] Hackett added.[/p][p][b]"Nyland was nowhere near it. Terrific from Williams, who scored his fifth Wales goal, but credit again to Dan James for winning the free-kick in the first place."[/b][/p][h2]Odegaard's industry in vain[/h2][p]A third goal conceded in the opening 15 minutes of the second half is more than any other side in this season's Nations League, and has to be a worry for Solbakken.[/p][p]Though Norway would come storming back with four efforts of their own, none would trouble Danny Ward in the Welsh goal.[/p][image alt="Martin Odegaard's player card v Wales" id="4c027c51-beab-4fac-aad9-352743ac817f" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="086e4cfd-c2fd-4552-bc3d-c583e81de912" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]In fact, if anyone was going to score, it would be the hosts, who belatedly took the game to their opponents, having a collective 81% possession after the hour mark.[/p][p]Of the 116 touches that Odegaard had during the game, 107 of them were passes, though sadly his industry was in vain.[/p][image alt="Neco Williams' player card v Norway" id="8284dd82-6884-46ca-a2f7-2aef4c410510" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="c994d0b0-39ef-4c79-b453-3cb5ad8cfe6c" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]Seven of his colleagues didn't even make a tackle in the entire 90 minutes, and only four of 11 dribbles were completed on the night by the visitors.[/p][p]Haaland didn't get on the scoresheet, but he can at least be pleased with his effort, winning four of six aerial duels and five of eight ground one-on-ones. Only Odegaard's 100% duel success (four from four) bettered his teammate.[/p][h2]Great refereeing performance[/h2][p]The night belonged to Wales, though, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ampadu-ethan/bH6VQUwF/"]Ethan Ampadu[/a]'s performance one of many to be celebrated.[/p][p]The midfielder had 101 touches and 93 passes, of which 89 found their target for a 95.7% completion rate, and all were more than his colleagues managed.[/p][image alt="Wales v Norway - Match stats" id="a2542f62-eb9a-4feb-ad20-7427bc3f9b06" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="9bffd925-dcc6-46ec-82a3-9662a1093519" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]Winning possession back on eight separate occasions was also a game high, as were his two completed tackles (100%) - no one from either side had more in the match.[/p][p][b]"Odegaard, Thomas and Ampadu were all yellow-carded late on,"[/b] Hackett remarked. [b]"Again, a perfect example of running the game with patience and understanding, but administering the correct punishment when required. A great performance by referee Hernandez Hernandez."[/b][/p][infobox id="8a8311c3-81b3-440e-8b49-36091db073d1" /]