Sheffield United: Wales defender stakes World Cup claim with first international goal despite late despair

The United man’s injury-time header looked to have earned Rob Page’s men a Nations League point at home to the Dutch – only for Burnley’s Wout Weghorst to head home the winner exactly 100 seconds later.

That inflicted a first home defeat on Wales since November 2018 – ending a run of 19 games unbeaten at home – and came four days after Page’s side booked their place at the World Cup in Qatar this winter, courtesy of a play-off final victory over Ukraine.

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Norrington-Davies had joined his teammates at Gareth Bale’s bar in Cardiff city centre to celebrate reaching their first World Cup in 64 years, and his week got even better when he notched his first international goal. But the joy turned to despair when the Netherlands went up the pitch and scored the winner, condemning Wales to their second Nations League defeat after last week’s loss to Robert Lewandowski and Co. from Poland.

Nevertheless the goal was good timing for Norrington-Davies, who looks established in the Welsh set-up now and will be hoping to stake a claim for a starting spot at the World Cup – where the Welsh will come up against England, Iran and the USA.

"I feel like we played well today against a top side,” Norrington-Davies said after the game.

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“We’re disappointed with the result. After getting ourselves back into the game, we are disappointed to concede. It's something we need to look back and improve on.

"I’m delighted to get the goal but with the result, it's a disappointing night for myself. We take a lot of positives from the games, but at the end of the day we haven't got a point yet. I feel like we could have at least taken a point from tonight.

“We all want a place at the World Cup, we are all battling it out. Obviously quite a few youngsters played this evening and we have to show what we have got.”

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