Bellamy wants more from Wales after extending unbeaten start

Craig Bellamy insists there is still room for improvement for Wales after seeing off Montenegro 1-0 to make it four games without defeat.

Harry Wilson’s 36th-minute penalty earned Wales all three points in Monday’s Nations League Group B4 clash at Cardiff City Stadium.

Bellamy, who succeeded Rob Page in July, is the first Wales head coach to avoid defeat in his first four games in charge of the senior men’s side.

As well as beating Montenegro home and away, Wales have also drawn 0-0 at home to Turkiye and 2-2 in Iceland.

Reflecting on his side’s latest win, Bellamy told S4C: “I was impressed by us being able to control the tempo of the second half, but we still need improvement on it.

“You will get breaks and it feels like you can score because they have players forward, but it’s also dangerous then for the counter.

“That transitional game becomes a little complicated, whereas in the first half they sat a lot deeper which allows us to really control the tempo of the game. Of course at the moment that really suits us.

“But we have got to stay calm, in transition but even when we have knockdowns and balls in and around.

“You secure the ball and pass to your team-mates and there are still bits for improvement we need, but we were better than last time.”

Continuing an unbeaten #NationsLeague campaign #TogetherStronger pic.twitter.com/e3YWjQGTCj

— Wales (@Cymru) October 14, 2024

Match-winner Wilson has now been directly involved in nine goals in his past 11 appearances for Wales, as many as in his previous 41 matches.

The Fulham forward kept his place in a much-changed Wales side on the back of Friday’s draw in Iceland, which showed seven alterations in all.

Wilson was the star performer in a game Wales dominated for large parts, with Montenegro failing to register a single shot on target.

It means the Dragons have avoided facing an effort on target in two of their past seven matches across all competitions, matching the tally from their previous 34 games.

For all Wales’ dominance, though, Montenegro substitute Andrija Radulovic fired a 20-yard drive against the crossbar.

“There were a lot of changes, and a lot of players who all definitely deserved the opportunity to play as well,” Bellamy added. “The Nations League is so good and so competitive.”

Wales trail leaders Turkiye by two points heading into next month’s contest in Kayseri, before the Dragons round off their Nations League campaign at home to Iceland.

Montenegro, bottom of the table without a point and on a record run of six losses in a row, host Iceland and Turkiye in their final two matches.