Daniel James was delighted to celebrate the birth of his new baby by scoring on his 50th Wales appearance in the Euro play-off win over Finland.
Wales’ 4-1 victory set up a home play-off final against Poland on Tuesday, with a Euro 2024 place at stake in Germany this summer.
James’ second-half appearance from the bench came after a busy few days for the Leeds winger following the birth of his second child with partner Ria.
The 26-year-old had arrived late into the Wales camp on Monday before adding to the best scoring season of his career with a 13th goal for club and country.
“It was my newborn’s first game here and I’m delighted to have my 50th cap,” James said after acknowledging his new arrival with a thumb-sucking goal celebration in front of a capacity Cardiff City Stadium crowd.
“It’s an honour for me and my family so hopefully there’s many more.
“To score four here shows we’ve got goals all over the pitch.
“Everyone’s come into camp whether playing or not fit and ready. We really gelled as a team and we’ve got to take that into Tuesday.”
Poland will certainly represent a far tougher test in Cardiff than outgunned Finland did on Thursday.
They had an indifferent Euro 2024 qualifying campaign, losing three of their eight group games to finish behind Albania and the Czech Republic, but there is plenty of top-level European experience in Michal Probierz’s squad.
Robert Lewandowski remains their star turn at the age of 35 and has scored an incredible 82 international goals, although the Barcelona striker was not on the scoresheet in Thursday’s 5-1 semi-final rout of Estonia in Warsaw.
Poland have beaten Wales in their last six meetings, including a 2022 Nations League double-header when they won 2-1 in Wroclaw and 1-0 in Cardiff.
“We’ve played them before and they’re a very good team,” James told S4C.
“It’s going to be a tough game. We’ve got a couple days now to settle from this one and then we’ll be straight on it.
“To win 4-1 here is great, but the manager (Rob Page) said after the game that it’s only half-time.
“We’ve got a massive game on Tuesday now and we’re looking forward to it.”
Page is currently blessed with attacking options and had James, Kieffer Moore and Nathan Broadhead in reserve after choosing Brennan Johnson, David Brooks and Harry Wilson to fill his forward line.
Brooks and Johnson repaid Page’s faith by scoring, while Wilson was also sharp and went close on a couple of occasions.
“The biggest selection headache I had was at the top of the pitch, as was well documented,” said Page.
“It was a hard decision to make, but I knew having looked at the analysis that pace would hurt them.
“We’ve got Nathan, who’s playing really well at the top of the Championship scoring goals.
“Brooksy’s outstanding. Harry Wilson in the Premier League. Kieffer, Brennan, DJ. We’ve got competition for places.
“We’ve got a young and fitter squad now and we’ve got players playing regularly.
“So now it’s about getting a recovery session into them. Then back on the grass with a game plan ready to go Tuesday.”
Graham Onions believes both he and his boyhood county Durham are “back where we belong” as they prepare for a top-flight return eight years on from their “incredibly harsh” relegation.
Onions was a key part of the side treated with unprecedented severity by the England and Wales Cricket Board in 2016, demoted to Division Two and hit with a 48-point penalty for the following season after falling into serious financial trouble.
He left for Lancashire in 2017 as the club’s record wicket-taker, part of a talent drain that also saw the likes of Scott Borthwick, Mark Stoneman and Keaton Jennings move on, but returned from Old Trafford at the start of the year as lead bowling coach.
The team he rejoins is finally back at the top table of English cricket after a stirring promotion season under Ryan Campbell, with Onions delighted to be part of Durham’s long-awaited comeback.
“The punishment was extremely harsh. A lot of people would say it was completely wrong and I get that because it wasn’t based on our performances,” he told the PA news agency.
“A lot happened – financial troubles and a lot of uncertainty – and it got messy. Did it leave a chip on the shoulder? Yeah, a little bit. The members here will feel ‘we’re going to show you’.
“There’s been years where we haven’t gone straight back up and that does surprise me but we’re in a good place now. We’re back to where we belong now and we just need to go out and show how good we are.
“I’m excited to be back home, I’ve still got the Geordie twang and the weather hasn’t changed! As a young lad I was given the opportunity to play for this amazing county and that seems a long time ago.
“But now I’ve got the chance to come back and work with some incredibly talented players and I feel very privileged again. I’m proud of where I’m from, it’s important to me being from the north-east.”
Onions was part of Durham’s impressive roll call of fast bowlers to represent England and now has responsibility for overseeing an attack containing two more, Matthew Potts and Brydon Carse.
Potts is nudging his way up the Test pecking order after excelling on the England Lions tour of India this winter and a strong start to his first Division One campaign, which begins at home to Hampshire on April 5, could make the 25-year-old an irresistible pick.
“He’s a determined lad and he wants to do well for us to force his way into that side and stay there,” said Onions.
“I don’t see any reason why he can’t do that. He’s got the work ethic, he’s got the skills. Wickets are your currency and if you keep knocking over top players, you will get recognised.”
England captain Jamie George has been hailed as “incredible” ahead of his return to club rugby after resolutely leading his country through a Guinness Six Nations campaign during which his mother died.
Saracens hooker George discovered his mum Jane had been diagnosed with cancer on the same day he was appointed national team skipper in place of club-mate Owen Farrell.
She died from the illness on February 14, four days after England’s 16-14 round-two win over Wales at Twickenham.
Sarries director of rugby Mark McCall saluted George’s strength of character as he contemplates including him in his squad for Saturday’s Gallagher Premiership clash with rivals Harlequins.
“Just talking to our England players who were there, I think it was quite remarkable how he was able to go and captain the side,” said McCall.
“The first time being a captain of that side and to have suffered what he suffered with his mum dying as suddenly as she did.
“And they said he was incredible. He’s highly popular amongst all the playing group from all the clubs, so he did an incredible job.”
George started each of his country’s five matches during the championship amid a difficult time in his personal life.
The 33-year-old has been given time off since the tournament but could still feature in this weekend’s derby with Quins at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as fly-half Farrell prepares for a milestone appearance for Saracens.
“We haven’t seen him this week,” said McCall. “We’ve given some some time away.
“He might (be involved), you never know. It’s Owen’s 250th game and he’s one of Owen’s best friends.
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“What he didn’t need was a couple of training days, to be honest.
“He’s got a new baby. He needed to be at home with his family and he’s the sort of person that we would trust with one practice to come and be part of the 23 if he really wants to be part of Owen’s big day.”
Saracens captain Farrell, who sat out the Six Nations to prioritise his mental health, echoed McCall’s comments
“Jamie’s obviously had a lot going on recently,” he said.
“I thought the way he’s held himself over that period and led the team was outstanding and you can see by the way the boys ended up playing it really built up well through that time. I couldn’t be prouder.”
Reigning champions Saracens begin the Premiership run-in sitting fourth in the table as an era draws to a close.
Captain Farrell will join French side Racing 92 in the summer, while Mako Vunipola, who is available following a ban, and brother Billy are also set to depart.
“I don’t want to talk without them having completely finalised their plans,” McCall said of the Vunipolas. “But they are coming towards the end of their time with us.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo is aiming to control the controllables after he returned to action with a 21-point haul in Thursday's win over the Brooklyn Nets.
Antetokounmpo had missed the Milwaukee Bucks' win over the Phoenix Suns and their defeat to the Boston Celtics with a hamstring issue.
But the two-time NBA MVP wasted little time in getting back to form, finishing with 21 points, nine rebounds and five assists in a 115-108 victory over the Nets.
"You try to control what you can control," Antetokounmpo said.
"Things like this [injury] are going to pop up now and then.
"Kind of unexpected, but at the end of the day, these are the cards you've been dealt, and you just have to keep on figuring it out, keep on playing through pain, playing through adversity."
Damian Lillard, meanwhile, recorded at least 30 points for a third straight game for the Bucks, as he finished with 30 points and 12 assists.
However, his most important plays were arguably late steals that helped Milwaukee, who occupy second in the Eastern Conference, seal the win.
Lillard said: "I think in my career, I haven't been known as a defender, but down the stretch of games, I've always been able to have a moment or do what I needed to do at the end of the game defensively."
Bucks coach Doc Rivers was effusive in his praise of Lillard, saying: "Dame defensively was phenomenal, all game.
"He's a very competitive guy, and you could see that."
Rivers also explained his decision to give Khris Middleton a rest, after he had played two straight games after missing 16 due to an ankle issue.
"He's been out all these games, and he's playing great," Rivers said. "We just want to keep him where he's at."
The Nets, meanwhile, have now lost five straight games and sit out of the playoff picture in the East as it stands.
Interim coach Kevin Ollie was able to take the positives, however.
"We didn't get a win, but I really believe that we grew tonight," he said.
"That's the message I've been telling them since I took over. I just want them to grow."
Ryder Cup winner Robert MacIntyre trolled his American hosts at the Valspar Championship in Florida after labelling his caddie’s bib with the scoreline from Europe’s victory in Rome.
The Scot, who was unbeaten with two-and-a-half-points in the Marco Simone Country Club in September, took advantage of a quirk of the tournament which allows players to choose their own wording for their bagman’s attire.
MacIntyre opted for EUR 16.5 – 11.5 USA, a reference to America’s crushing defeat as Luke Donald’s side won back the trophy, for Mike Burrows’ bib.
However, Englishman Burrows was not even on MacIntyre’s bag for the Ryder Cup as they did not pair up until a month later.
MacIntyre’s choice understandably received mixed responses. Ryder Cup Europe posted on X: “He’s only gone and done it. We approve” but their USA counterparts wrote “Never too soon to start thinking about Bethpage in 2025”, while the official PGA Tour account simply said “Too soon?”
Unfortunately for the 27-year-old left-hander he could not rediscover the form he showed in Italy, with just two birdies and a bogey in a one-under opening round which left him six off the lead set by Kevin Streelman.
The Scot’s two American playing partners Kevin Roy and Chandler Phillips both outscored him, shooting six under and three under respectively.
MacIntyre is making his ninth appearance on the PGA Tour this season and has missed the cut in half of his previous events, including last week’s Players Championship.
What the papers say
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag‘s job is safe for the rest of the season, claims the Guardian, with the embattled manager understood to have impressed new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe during his early stages at the club.
Atalanta midfielder Teun Koopmeiners has told the Italian club he wants to leave this summer, with the Metro reporting he has been linked with Liverpool.
The Telegraph writes that 28-year-old RB Leipzig forward Timo Werner is keen to turn his loan to Tottenham into a permanent move, which may only cost Spurs £15million or less.
Social media round-upPlayers to watch
Mason Greenwood: Spanish club Getafe’s hopes of signing the English forward for another loan are set to be dashed, with the Sun reporting that Manchester United want a permanent deal.
Joao Gomes: Manchester United are targeting the Wolves midfielder to replace Casemiro, says The Mirror.
Rodrygo: Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United are all keen on Brazil forward Rodrygo, and Real Madrid are open to offers north of £85m, says Sport.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc saw off Max Verstappen in practice for the Australian Grand Prix – as Lewis Hamilton claimed “something was wrong” with his Mercedes after he finished only 18th.
Verstappen is bidding to match his record of 10 consecutive wins at this weekend’s race in Melbourne.
But Leclerc could pose a threat to the all-conquering Dutchman, following an impressive practice lap that put him nearly four-tenths clear.
Leclerc’s Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz – back in his cockpit following British teenager Ollie Bearman’s stand-in drive in Saudi Arabia a fortnight ago – ended the running in third, with Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso fourth and fifth, respectively, for Aston Martin.
George Russell took sixth for Mercedes, 0.674 seconds behind Leclerc, but team-mate Hamilton finished ahead of only Haas’ Kevin Magnussen on a troubling day for the seven-time world champion.
Hamilton, 39, ran off the road in the first running at a sun-cooked Albert Park, and his struggles continued into the day’s concluding session, with a best lap that put him 1.5 sec off the pace and nearly a second behind Russell.
“What times are people doing?” Hamilton asked over the radio. After he was informed of leader Leclerc’s pace, he replied, “Yeah, something is wrong.”
Only 19 drivers took part in the second session following Alex Albon’s high-speed crash in the opening session.
The London-born Thai driver lost control of his Williams on the exit of Turn 6 before smashing into the wall on the inside of the track and rebounding across the circuit.
Albon’s right-front wheel tore off his machine under impact, with debris from his Williams littering the track.
Albon came to a standstill and was able to get out of his cockpit. “Sorry,” he said over the radio before he was taken away in the medical car.
“Muchos debris,” said Lando Norris. “Is he alright? It looked pretty large.”
Albon, 27, was taken to the medical centre for precautionary checks as the session was red-flagged to clear his destroyed machine.
Williams said he would not participate in the second practice due to the damage to his car, and it is uncertain if he will be able to take part in the remainder of the weekend with spare parts limited to the British team.
Elsewhere, home favourite Oscar Piastri finished seventh, two positions ahead of Norris in the other McLaren who had topped the time charts earlier in the day in front of a record 124,000-strong crowd.
Kelly Sotherton celebrated heptathlon gold at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, on this day in 2006.
Sotherton, then aged 29, won what proved the sole major title of her career to give England a fourth of six athletics golds at the Games.
Having seen her commanding lead after five events almost cut in half following a poor javelin display, fourth place in the final event, the 800 metres, was enough to seal overall victory.
She finished with 6,396 points, 98 ahead of Australian silver-medallist Kylie Wheeler, while 20-year-old team-mate Jessica Ennis, who had been a point ahead of Wheeler heading into the 800m, took bronze with 6,269.
Despite becoming champion, Sotherton expressed unhappiness over her performance, particularly her showing in the javelin – her best of 32.04m was more than a metre down on the 33.09m which ultimately cost her a world championship bronze medal in Helsinki the previous year.
“At the moment I’m disappointed, not for gold but for my points total,” she said.
“I had a rubbish day today, my javelin is just getting worse. I have no words to describe how gutted I am at letting myself down.
“But when I stand on the top step of the podium and listen to the national anthem for the first time ever I think I’ll realise I have achieved something quite good today.
“I just wanted to win and get across the line to become Commonwealth champion.”
Sotherton had claimed heptathlon bronze at the 2004 Olympics in Athens and further bronzes were earned from the heptathlon at the Osaka 2007 World Championships and Beijing 2008 Olympics, as well as the 4x400m relay at the latter.
Sotherton, who announced her retirement in 2012, did not receive the Beijing medals until 2018, having been upgraded following disqualifications.
Kevin Lankinen turned aside 33 shots for his first shutout in almost three years and the Nashville Predators extended their point streak to a franchise-record 16 games with a 3-0 win over the Florida Panthers on Thursday.
Filip Forsberg scored two goals and assisted on one by Gustav Nyquist as the Predators improved to 14-0-2 in their last 16 games since a regulation loss to Dallas on Feb. 15.
Nashville surpassed a 15-game point streak (14-0-1) from Feb. 17-March 19, 2018.
Lankinen stopped five shots in the first period, 16 in the second and 12 more in the third for his first shutout since March 25, 2021, for Chicago against Florida.
Sergei Bobrovsky made 34 saves for the Panthers, who have lost three straight – two by shutout – but remained three points behind Boston for the Atlantic Division lead.
Panarin powers Rangers past Bruins
Artemi Panarin registered his third hat trick of the season and Jonathan Quick stopped 24 shots to lead the New York Rangers to a 5-2 victory over the Boston Bruins in a matchup of Eastern Conference heavyweights.
Adam Fox and Mika Zibanejad also scored for the Rangers, who have won six of eight to move within one point of Boston for the top seed in the East.
The win was the 391st of Quick’s career, tying him with Ryan Miller for the most by an American goalie.
Panarin’s three goals extended his career high to 41 and gave him a personal-best 97 points.
Jake DeBrusk and Justin Brazeau had goals for Boston, which had won three straight and five of six.
Hurricanes win in overtime to stay hot
Seth Jarvis scored 1:28 into overtime and Frederik Andersen remained unbeaten since returning to action as the Carolina Hurricanes edged the Philadelphia Flyers, 3-2.
Jarvis scored a goal in his fifth straight game to give the Hurricanes their fifth straight win.
Jordan Martinook and Jalen Chatfield also had goals as Carolina improved to 14-3-1 in its last 18 games and remained four points behind the Rangers for the Metropolitan Division lead.
Scott Laughton and Travis Konecny scored for the Flyers, who moved four points ahead of Washington in the race for third place in the Metropolitan.
Jalen Green scored 26 points and Dillon Brooks added 23 before he was ejected as the Houston Rockets stretched their winning streak to seven games with a 127-117 win over the Chicago Bulls on Thursday.
Jock Landale had 17 points and Aaron Holiday added 14 off the bench for Houston, which has gone 9-1 in March to get within 2 ½ games of Golden State for the final play-in spot in the Western Conference.
Chicago’s DeMar DeRozan and Brooks were ejected for their part in an on-court scrum in the third quarter.
With 6:02 left in the third quarter, DeRozan committed a foul on Green that caused Brooks to become upset. DeRozan turned and subsequently elbowed Brooks in the chin, which prompted the melee.
Ayo Dosunmu scored 35 points on 13-of-18 shooting and DeRozan finished with 16 on 4-of-15 shooting as Chicago failed to win a third straight.
Jokic notches triple-double in Nuggets’ win
Nikola Jokić recorded his 22nd triple-double of the season with 30 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists as the surging Denver Nuggets topped the New York Knicks, 113-100.
Jokic’s triple-double was the 127th of his career, a total bettered only by Russell Westbrook (198), Oscar Robertson (181) and Magic Johnson (138).
Michael Porter Jr. had 31 points on 13-of-16 shooting with eight rebounds and Jamal Murray added 23 points to help Denver win for the 13th time in 15 games. The Nuggets are percentage points behind Oklahoma City for first place in the Western Conference.
Porter also had three 3-pointers to give him 193 on the season and break Dale Ellis’ single-season team mark set in 1996-97.
Jalen Brunson scored 26 points for the Knicks, who had a four-game winning streak stopped.
Streaking Magic handle Pelicans
Paolo Banchero had 20 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists for his second career triple-double and the Orlando Magic defeated the New Orleans Pelicans, 121-106, for their fifth straight win.
Banchero missed his first 10 shots, two of them free throws, but rallied to finish 9 of 18 from the field.
Jalen Suggs added 22 points and Franz Wagner had 18 for Orlando, which clinched its second winning season in 12 years by winning for the 18th time in 23 games.
Trey Murphy III scored 21 points and Zion Williamson tallied 20 points and seven rebounds but also had a season-high eight turnovers.
New Orleans, which had won seven of eight, lost forward Brandon Ingram early in the second half to an apparent left knee injury.
Alex Albon walked away from a high-speed crash in opening practice for the Australian Grand Prix.
The London-born Thai driver lost control of his Williams on the exit of Turn 6 before smashing into the wall on the inside of the track and rebounding across the circuit.
Albon’s right-front wheel tore off his machine under impact, with debris from his Williams littering the track.
Albon came to a standstill and was able to get out of his cockpit. “Sorry,” he said over the radio before he was taken away in the medical car.
“Muchos debris,” said Lando Norris. “Is he alright? It looked pretty large.”
The one-hour running was suspended for 10 minutes, with McLaren’s Norris topping the time charts.
The British driver finished just 0.018 seconds clear of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, with George Russell third for Mercedes and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc fourth. The top four were separated by less than half-a-tenth.
Russell hauled his Mercedes towards the front of the order in the closing moments, but team-mate Lewis Hamilton struggled with the handling of his Silver Arrows.
The seven-time world champion ran off the road at the opening bend on his first lap on the speediest soft tyres and ended the session only ninth.
Carlos Sainz, back in his Ferrari after missing the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix with appendicitis, was eighth.
The second practice session at Melbourne’s Albert Park will begin at 4pm local time (5am GMT).
The Premier League risks losing credibility in the face of points deductions for financial breaches, according to football finance expert Kieran Maguire.
Everton and Nottingham Forest have received points deductions of six and four respectively this season for breaches of the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules (PSR).
Forest received a deduction on Monday, which left them in the relegation zone, a point behind 17th-placed Luton Town, after they admitted a breach of the rules.
Everton, meanwhile, were initially deducted 10 points in November for a breach of the rules in the 2021-22 reporting period, before that was reduced to six on appeal. The Toffees sit 16th, having not won in 11 league matches, though Sean Dyche's team might yet have to grapple with another deduction, with the club having been charged with a breach in the 2022-23 financial reporting period.
Maguire fears for the Premier League's reputation in response to the deductions, with Championship side Leicester City also charged by the league on Thursday for PSR breaches during their time in the top flight, while Manchester City are facing 115 charges for potential financial discrepancies. Chelsea are under investigation for potential off-book dealings, while the Blues could be under pressure to sell players before the end of June in order to come under the threshold in their next set of accounts.
"I think the credibility of the Premier League as an organisation which is capable of governing itself has taken quite a few knocks recently," Maguire told Stats Perform.
"There is now news coming out that the independent regulator bill, the football governance bill, will be placed before parliament. That's a further blow to the Premier League in terms of its ability to be seen as a self-governing organisation.
"The Premier League hasn't come out of these cases particularly well. You wait years and years for a PSR judgement and then you get two in two months. Then we've got the Manchester City case which is probably going to take another 12 months."
Maguire joked: "You've got people outside the stadium that won't be selling programs and shirts, they'll be selling asterisks because there is so much uncertainty."
Maguire also explained that perceived superior cooperation with the Premier League from Forest is the reason for their smaller deduction compared to Everton, despite the midlands club having overspent by £34.5million, compared to the Toffees' breach of £19.5m.
He said: "Forest have been given a three-point penalty for breaking the rules, and another three points for going so far over the limit.
"But because Forest has cooperated and made the life of the commission relatively straightforward, we're going to effectively knock off two points for good behaviour. So that's why we've ended up with this final deduction of four points compared to Everton's six."
Maguire also pointed out that Forest did have other circumstances to contend with.
"Anybody that follows football knows that Forest were promoted with effectively six or seven players remaining in the squad because players were out of contract, a lot of players on loan. Therefore, they had to spend a lot of money on recruitment," he said.
"Their argument also is that if you want to survive in the Premier League, and survival was just as hard as getting there in the first place, then you've got to spend money. They've done that."
When asked if Forest could see their penalty reduced in the same way Everton's has been, Maguire replied: "I think if we have a look at the Everton appeal, that was reduced from 10 points to six on points of law.
"The second commission said that the initial commission brought accounted for tariff factors, which weren't actually in the Premier League rules, and therefore the initial penalty was too harsh. Whether Forest can do the same, I'm uncertain.
"Forest have got seven days to have an appeal and we could be left in the pretty awful scenario that the appeal is heard in late April, then the verdict is announced four or five days after the end of the season. I think the integrity of the game would be tarnished if we do end up in that situation."
World champion Luke Humphries was at his clinical best to seal a hat-trick of Premier League wins on Thursday.
The world number one saw off Peter Wright and Nathan Aspinall before impressively defeating Michael Smith 6-2 in the final in Dublin.
It gave Humphries control at the top of the table, following victories in Brighton and Nottingham.
The 29-year-old won the first four legs to take control of the showdown against Smith and wrapped up victory with double 16.
“The last three weeks have been fantastic,” Humphries told Sky Sports afterwards.
“The standard has been high. I’m not unbeatable but I’m putting in that stage of performance where it takes something big to beat me and nobody has done that so far.
“I’m just happy with the way I’m playing and if I keep playing like this then it will take a tough performance to beat me – that’s all I ask of myself.
“If someone beats me and I play well then I’m not too disappointed but the last three weeks have been a dream.
“I’m really pleased with the fashion I’ve won the last three nights.”
Humphries extended his lead to seven points as Michael van Gerwen was beaten 6-5 by Gerwyn Price, who ended a run of four successive quarter-final losses.
Luke Littler had a night to forget when he lost to Smith – for the third time – in the first round of night eight.
The 17-year-old succumbed 6-4, having led 3-1, his second quarter-final exit of the season.
It leaves him fifth in the standings after Aspinall gained two points for edging Rob Cross 6-5.
“It’s my first year in the Prem. Some weeks have gone to plan and some weeks have not,” Littler said.
“But it’s all about getting the points on the board. Obviously this is the halfway point, whatever happens from now until the end is the crucial part.”
Rob Page says that Wales are ready to go “toe-to-toe” with Poland in their Euro 2024 play-off final at Cardiff City Stadium.
Wales are 90 minutes from reaching this summer’s showpiece event in Germany after posting an emphatic 4-1 victory over Finland.
First-half goals from David Brooks and Neco Williams put the hosts in cruise control and raised hopes of a stress-free evening for the vast majority of a sell-out crowd in Cardiff.
Teemu Pukki banished those thoughts on the stroke of half-time with his 40th Finland goal, but Brennan Johnson quickly restored Wales’ two-goal cushion after the break and substitute Daniel James rounded off matters late on.
Wales now host Poland on Tuesday, and manager Page is relishing the challenge as the Dragons bid to qualify for their third successive European major championship and a fourth major tournament in five.
“We don’t care who comes to see us. We will go toe-to-toe and have a go,” Page said.
“I am really satisfied. It was uncomfortable in moments of the game, but against good teams it does not always go your own way.
“We didn’t quite get the press right in the first half. We addressed it at half-time. On another night it might have been five or six.
“The biggest selection headache I had tonight was at the top of the pitch. I knew that pace would hurt them.
“People like DJ (Daniel James) coming off the bench, playing really well at club level and scoring goals. When you have players at club level playing well, they can add value and change the game for us.
“Ethan (Ampadu) on his 50th cap, I thought he was immense. Brennan was a constant threat. Brooksy with his finish.
“We knew exactly what we were going to get with Harry (Wilson) and Brooksy in the pockets.”
Poland swept aside Estonia 5-1 in their play-off semi-final, and Page added: “We have done analysis on Poland and Estonia. We have already looked at Poland.
“It will be a tough test, but what more motivation do you need? The boys will be ready on Tuesday.
“We have a younger squad, a fitter squad, players that are playing regularly. We will be back on the grass on Sunday with a game-plan ready to go on Tuesday.
“It’s a work in progress. Everyone can see what we are trying to do, and we have given ourselves one hell of a chance.”
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