Tottenham veteran Ben Davies was excellent in defence in Wales’ hard-fought 2-1 win over Montenegro
Craig Bellamy got his first win as new Wales boss as the Dragons beat Montenegro 2-1 away in their second UEFA Nations League group-stage fixture on Monday.
Quickfire goals from Kieffer Moore and Harry Wilson gave Craig Bellamy’s side the perfect start in Niksic. Driton Camaj halved the deficit in the 73rd minute. but Wales held tight and defended very well to grab the points. And Tottenham Hotspur star Ben Davies produced a defensive masterclass to help his nation end the international break on a high.
Donning the captain’s armband on his 89th cap for the national team, Ben Davies moved back to his primary left-back position after operating in central defence for Wales in the 0-0 draw with Turkiye last week. While he didn’t look out of place playing as a centre-back against Turkiye, moving back to his original role on Monday allowed him more freedom and opened up passing angles in the 2-1 win over Montenegro.
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The 31-year-old, made three clearances, two interceptions, one tackle and blocked three shots. He won five out of seven aerial duels against a physical Montenegro side. He was also effective going forward as the £80k-per-week Spurs veteran completed 29/36 passes, created one big chance and made one key pass.
However, the biggest highlight of Davies’ game came when he made a goal-line clearance from a rebound after debutant Wales goalkeeper Karl Darlow produced an excellent double save to deny Stefan Jovetic. (Stats courtesy: SofaScore)
Davies rolled back the years with an all-action display for the Dragons, building on an impressive show in the 0-0 draw with Turkiye. Well into his 30s, the left-back is showing no signs of ageing and continues to be an extremely reliable component for both Wales and Tottenham. Perhaps, that is one of the reasons why Galatasaray are planning a late swoop for the Spurs star the Turkish transfer window slams shut on September 13.
The Welshman is a leader and highly experienced player who can operate in multiple roles across the backline, and with the Lilywhites set to compete across many tournaments after the international break, Ange Postecoglou simply cannot afford to lose Davies at such a crucial juncture of the season amid interest from Turkey.
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The Neath-born defensive ace will now head back to North London with high spirits after helping Bellamy begin his new chapter as Wales head coach on a positive note.
