Eastwood bags Wales brace

Toshack's men secure Luxembourg victory

Last updated: 26th March 2008

Freddy Eastwood Wales

Eastwood: Wales brace

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Freddy Eastwood produced clinical finishes in either half as Wales strolled to victory in their friendly international with Luxembourg.

Eastwood, who has been unable to secure a regular starting role under Mick McCarthy at Wolves, displayed his finishing prowess for John Toshack's side.

Fulham's Simon Davies captained the side as he won his 50th cap, only the 26th man in Welsh football history to reach that total.

Toshack took his new caps tally to 29 in 32 matches with Boaz Myhill, Owain Tudur-Jones and Ashley Williams making their debuts.

Luxembourg seemed intent on just stopping Wales' creative players with Jason Koumas coming in for some rough treatment and getting little protection from Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers.

The FIFA rankings have these two countries 101 places apart, but Luxembourg came into the match with a rare streak of confidence after their first competitive victory in 12 years, a 1-0 win over Belarus.

Lead

Eastwood was booked for a tackle from behind on Mario Mutsch after 17 minutes before Lewin Nyatanga had an effort disallowed for offside from a Koumas free-kick.

Three times in quick succession Jermaine Easter was pulled down in the box at set-pieces with the ball yards away, but Dutch referee Kuipers decided the offences did not constitute penalties.

Wales got themselves into the lead after 37 minutes when Eastwood took a cross-field pass from Koumas and forced his way into the box, side-stepping opponents before firing his low effort into the far corner past Jonathan Joubert, his third goal in seven internationals.

At the break Wales sent on Hull keeper Myhill for his debut, while Swansea's injury-jinxed midfielder Tudur-Jones also came on for his long-awaited first cap in place of Easter.

And two minutes into the second period Wales were two up. Davies got away on the right to fire in a low cross for Eastwood to slam confidently past Joubert.

Wales sent on David Cotterill for Carl Fletcher and the 20-year-old, now on loan with Sheffield United, hit the outside of a post two minutes later.