Cabango takes Haaland's shirt as Wales beat Norway 2-1 in Nations League A
Wales end seven-game wait with historic Nations League A win
Wales claimed their first-ever victory in Nations League A with a 2-1 win over Norway at the Cardiff City Stadium, ending a seven-game run without a win in the process. Goals from Dan James and Neco Williams — after Oscar Bobb had given Norway an early lead — turned the game around and lifted the mood around Craig Bellamy's side following Sunday's 2-0 defeat to Denmark in Copenhagen.
Cabango leaves Haaland empty-handed
The standout performer was Swansea City defender Ben Cabango, who was recalled to the starting line-up and produced an outstanding display to keep Manchester City striker Erling Haaland quiet. The 26-year-old, earning his 18th senior cap, revealed he asked Haaland for his shirt after the final whistle — and got it.
"I did grab it after the game," Cabango said. "He was just there, so I thought, 'Why not?' He just gave me the shirt... but he didn't take mine."
The centre-back, who had also faced Cristiano Ronaldo in the opening Nations League game against Portugal in Lisbon, reflected on a remarkable international window. "It is surreal to play against Ronaldo and Haaland in the same camp," Cabango said. "But it's definitely where you want to be, stay around that for as long as possible. You learn a lot playing against these players. You've got to be concentrated throughout the game and you can't switch off at any moment. That probably brings out the best side of me and it's been good."
"Probably my best game for Wales"
Cabango, who had been brought back into the side following the defeat in Copenhagen, described the performance as his finest in a Wales shirt. "I'd probably say it was my best game for Wales," he added. "I enjoyed the game, it was a good battle and we came out on top. I enjoy that side of the game. The ball's there to be won and I'm going to try and win it 100 per cent of the time and today it paid off.
"We needed to bounce back from the last game and I felt we all did that as a collective. All the squad, the players that came on, it was a real good performance."
Bellamy praises defensive pairing
Head coach Craig Bellamy singled out Cabango and captain Ben Davies for their work in subduing Haaland and Norway's forward line. "They were brilliant — really, really good," Bellamy said. "But the key part of that, which we mentioned before [the game] and the work we had done, was to keep them away from our box. It's easier said than done but that's why we were constantly pushing, constantly working to keep them as far away as we can. They were exceptional."