Wales can continue their recent revival by beating Norway at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday afternoon.
Wales were forced to write off the Euro 2012 qualification process as a transitional period after Gary Speed replace John Toshack as manager during the campaign but the results at the end of the campaign suggest that things are looking up for the national side. Three wins from the final four matches in Group G, and a whole host of talented players coming through the youth ranks, have created a positive outlook for Welsh football and they will prepare for the 2014 World Cup qualifiers with confidence.
The Dragons have, however, been handed a tough group with Croatia, Serbia, Belgium, Scotland and Macedonia likely to make it difficult for Wales to qualify for the World Cup in Brazil but Speed will feel that his squad can, at least, challenge for a second place finish and that would be a marked improvement on recent years.
They face Norway in the Millennium Stadium on Saturday and it is once again an opportunity for Speed to have a look at his players and try to continue blending his side into one which can be competitive in the coming months and years.
It is 15/8 at
bet365 that Wales beat the Norwegians and that looks like a very interesting price. A midfield of Joe Ledley, Aaron Ramsey, Gareth Bale and Joe Allen is one which should excite the fans in Cardiff as not only are the quartet all starring for clubs at the top level of English and Scottish football but they are all under 25. It is not beyond the realms of possibility that those four could play together for the national side for the next ten years and that means a previously unheard of stability in the Welsh national team.
Craig Bellamy and Robert Earnshaw are, however, coming to the end of their international careers but the Liverpool and Cardiff City strikers still possess enough pace and finishing ability to cause problems for Norway, who are, by contrast, a team in decline.
Egil Olsen's side are a far cry from the teams of the 90s that qualified regularly for international tournaments and players like John Carew, Morten Gamst Pedersen and John Arne Riise have all seen better days. Norway missed out on the Euro 2012 playoffs on goal difference and the worry is that there are no youngsters of note coming through to replace them, meaning that they could well be set for a long spell in international football's wilderness.
They are 11/8 to beat Wales on Saturday but that price looks very slim on a side that only beat Cyprus and Iceland away from home in Euro 2012 qualifying. They were beaten 1-0 by a relatively weak Polish side in their last friendly away from Oslo and it would no surprise if they were to be lose again this weekend.
Of course, being a friendly, there is always the chance that the game will be played at a low tempo and a dull draw (12/5) could occur, especially if both managers make multiple substitutions. However, momentum is with the home side, who have a young squad that is keen to impress and confirm their place for the 2014 World Cup campaign and that could be enough to give Wales the victory.
Recommendation
Win Market - Wales (15/8,
bet365)
