Sat 02 Sep - Posted in News
Time to read: 1min
Derby County’s Tom Lawrence made his first competitive start for Wales in their crucial 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Austria on Saturday evening.
The 23-year-old forward, who joined Derby from Premier League Leicester City last month, was handed his seventh cap by Wales boss Chris Coleman in the Group D clash at Cardiff City Stadium.
Wales ran out 1-0 winners thanks to a stunning long-range strike from substitute Ben Woodburn, who scored just a few minutes after he replaced Lawrence with 69 minutes on clock.
Lawrence, playing in a front three alongside Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale and Burnley’s Sam Vokes, went close to scoring his first international goal in the first half with a long-range strike which flashed narrowly wide.
Wales sit third in Group D and remain in with a shout of reaching next summer’s World Cup in Russia, albeit through the play-off route.
Their next qualifier provides a trip to Moldova on Tuesday.
Derby skipper and defender Richard Keogh, meanwhile, was an unused substitute as the Republic of Ireland drew 1-1 in Georgia.
Shane Duffy put Ireland ahead early on following an error by Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Makaridze.
However, the hosts equalised before the break through Valeri Qazaishvili to earn a share of the spoils.
Ireland’s next game is a crucial clash at home to Group D leaders Serbia on Tuesday and a victory in Dublin would see Martin O’Neill’s side, who are currently in second spot, move top of the group.
