GROUP FOUR Wales 1 Azerbaijan 0: IT IS little wonder Jason Koumas was paying compliments to Sam Vokes afterwards, the Wigan midfielder comparing the 18-year-old to John Hartson, another heavyweight striker, while talking up the teenager's prospects of leading the line for Wales in the future.
Without Vokes's intervention seven minutes from time, Koumas, who missed a second-half penalty, would have carried the responsibility for Wales' failure to defeat a team ranked 138th in the world.
The Wales manager had expected Azerbaijan to defend in numbers but he could not have imagined his side would be so clueless in their attempts to break down the Group Four minnows. The tactics did not help, with Robert Earnshaw an isolated figure in attack on an afternoon when there appeared no need to string five players across midfield.
The outcome was all too predictable. "We said before the game it might be ugly, it might be a crap game and it was, but the three points are all that matters," said Koumas, whose curling 30-yard shot was one of the few meaningful Wales attempts on goal in the first half.
"The keeper was off his line for the penalty, but no excuse, I still should have put it away. I was annoyed and I didn't think we were going to get another chance the way it way going."
Hopes were raised when Fabio Luis Ramim picked up a second booking in the 68th minute, but it was not until Vokes partnered Ched Evans, another teenage substitute, up front that Wales unsettled Azerbaijan. The Wolverhampton Wanderers forward was unfortunate to see his looping header tipped over in the 82nd minute, but the breakthrough arrived seconds later when he used his huge feet to telling effect as he rammed home the loose ball following Bale's corner.
"I've been quite impressed with him all week," said Koumas of Vokes, who was playing for Bournemouth in League One last season.
"To score an important goal like that was a great feeling. I have size 12 boots and needed every bit of them to get on the end of that goal," Vokes said.
• Guardian Service
