James praises Bellamy after Wales youngsters shine against Ghana

Nation.Cymru staff/agencies

Lewis Koumas’s dramatic first Wales goal is proof that Craig Bellamy’s faith in young players is paying off, according to Daniel James.

The Liverpool forward rescued a 1-1 draw against World Cup-bound Ghana with a stoppage-time header in Cardiff on Tuesday night.

Koumas was one of three young players introduced by Bellamy during the second half, alongside teenage Coventry midfielder Kai Andrews and Swansea winger Cameron Congreve, who made his senior international debut.

James said the Wales manager deserved credit for giving opportunities to young players and creating an environment in which they could thrive.

He said: “We finished as a team with less experience, but I thought they were top when they came on.

“It shows the trust the manager has in these young players, and we’ve just got to keep pushing to bring them through.”

The Leeds United winger said Bellamy’s approach allows players to play to their strengths rather than forcing them into unfamiliar roles.

He said: “He sets up in a way that everyone is in a position where they can be themselves.

“He did exactly the same with me. How I can make my game simple and use my strengths? That’s what he does all over the pitch.”

Koumas has long been regarded as one of Wales’ brightest prospects since scoring on his Liverpool debut against Southampton in the FA Cup in February 2024.

However, opportunities at Anfield have been limited since Arne Slot succeeded Jurgen Klopp, leading to loan spells at Stoke City, Birmingham City and Hull City.

The 20-year-old finished the season by helping Hull secure promotion to the Premier League.

Despite making his Wales debut against Gibraltar two years ago, Koumas has largely been used as an impact substitute at international level and has made only two starts in his 11 appearances.

James believes there is much more to come from the young forward.

He said: “Lewis has obviously had limited caps but he’s still a young boy.

“It’s easy to forget that because he’s been on the scene two or three years and he’s got so much more to bring.”

The winger added: “He has that mentality that he wants to push on and do more. You can’t get any better set up here to do that.

“With the experienced boys we have and the way Craig brings everyone in, the detail he brings, it’s like a breath of fresh air.”

Wales now travel to Bucharest to face Romania on Saturday in the second of their June friendlies before attention turns to a demanding Nations League A campaign against Denmark, Norway and Portugal later this year.

James said the squad had been determined to avoid another disappointing June result after discussing Wales’ recent struggles in summer internationals.

He said: “We spoke in the week about this June camp not having the best results.

“That’s why it was important to get something out of this game and we’ll take that into Saturday.”

Encouragement

Despite only drawing, James felt the performance against a side preparing for the World Cup offered plenty of encouragement: “We came up against a team that thoroughly deserves to be going to the World Cup and we showed what we’re capable of.

“We’ve just got to keep pushing because the next campaign is massive and we’ve got to build on what we have now.”