Wales v Armenia: Dragons look to build on solid start
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Wales return to Euro 2024 qualifying action against Armenia in Cardiff on Friday.
Rob Page’s side began the campaign in March with a 1-1 draw in Croatia and a 1-0 home victory over Latvia.
Here we look at the main talking points and Wales v Armenia betting odds for the Group D clash.
Brooks is back
David Brooks would provide one of the most heart-warming stories of the season by returning to the international arena at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Brooks was diagnosed with stage-two Hodgkin lymphoma while on international duty in October 2021 and has rejoined the Wales squad for the first time since announcing he was cancer-free in May last year.
The 25-year-old attacker returned to action for Bournemouth in March and made his first start last month. Brooks has won 21 caps for Wales and played at Euro 2020 before his illness was diagnosed.
In the Wales v Armenia betting odds, he is 12/5 to mark his return with a goal and 6/1 to open the scoring.
Same again, please
Duplicating March’s return of four points will do Wales just fine. Taking a point from World Cup semi-finalists Croatia courtesy of Nathan Broadhead’s stoppage-time strike was a bonus that few – if anyone – predicted.
Barod am nos Wener? 🏴🇦🇲
All set for a sellout Cardiff City Stadium this Friday 🙌#TogetherStrongerpic.twitter.com/7xMkHpAbUj
— Wales 🏴 (@Cymru) June 13, 2023
Beating Armenia and getting some reward against Turkey in Samsun on Monday would represent a huge step for Welsh ambitions of clinching a top-two spot and reaching the finals in Germany next summer.
The first task should not be too difficult with Wales 2/5 favourites for victory while they are 15/8 to drop points.
Johnson boost
Wales’ March games were overshadowed by the absence of Brennan Johnson. Boss Rob Page suggested Johnson’s club Nottingham Forest had not done enough to get the forward fit for international duty, a claim which Reds boss Steve Cooper subsequently denied.
Whatever the truth of that, Johnson had an impressive maiden top-flight campaign at the City Ground and his return to the Wales squad is a huge boost.
Managing post-season break
It will be nearly three weeks since the Premier League finished when Wales walk out to take on Armenia. The regular EFL season ended even earlier on May 8 and several members of Page’s squad have not played since.
Page organised a Cardiff camp for his non top-flight players last month before taking the entire squad to Portugal to prepare for Armenia and Turkey, but it remains to be seen how match-fit they are heading into the two qualifiers.
Wales are 16/1 to be leading at half-time and fail to win while 23/10 is on offer for the first half to have the most goals.
Painful memories
Armenia and Wales have only met twice, in 2002 World Cup qualifying.
Both games were drawn, with John Hartson scoring twice in a 2-2 draw at Yerevan’s Republican Stadium in March 2001 after Armenia had been reduced to 10 men.
The return game the following September was Wales’ 500th match. But Wales failed to mark the occasion with a win as their World Cup qualification hopes disappeared with a goalless draw at the Millennium Stadium.
Another draw on Friday is 17/5 in the Wales v Armenia betting odds while a goalless stalemate is 11/1.
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All odds and markets correct as of date of publication
