Joe Duncan has earned his first senior Wales call-up as Craig Bellamy named a 26-man squad for the final two Nations League matches against Norway and Portugal.
The 20-year-old goalkeeper is the only new addition to the group, with Wales looking to preserve their place in the Nations League's top tier. Duncan replaces Tom King in the senior set-up as Wales prepare for a trip to Oslo on Saturday, 14 November, before finishing their campaign at home against Portugal the following Tuesday.
What Wales are playing for
Wales are third in Group A4 and still have work to do if they are going to move into the Nations League quarter-finals conversation, avoid the relegation play-off or simply keep themselves in the top tier. They can still finish second, third or fourth, so there is still plenty to decide across the last two fixtures.
The squad includes several returning players, with Harry Wilson and Joe Rodon back in the mix after missing time earlier in the year. Wilson last featured for Wales in March, while Rodon has been absent since August after injuring his hamstring. Wales also come into this camp after beating Norway in Cardiff last month, which gives them some recent encouragement ahead of the rematch in Oslo.
A change in the goalkeeping group
Duncan's promotion is the headline squad change, and it adds another option to Wales' goalkeeper pool at an important stage of the campaign. That matters because the margins are so tight in Group A4, where every selection now carries added weight.
For Duncan, the call-up is a clear next step and a chance to push into the senior conversation. For Wales, it is another piece of business in a squad built to handle two very different tests: Norway in Oslo and Portugal in Cardiff. The next four days will show whether Bellamy's group can turn a strong position into the result it needs.
One recent reminder of Duncan's presence came in a separate match report on his performance, when Joe Duncan preserved a 1-1 draw as Kieron Dyer noted Woking threat, underlining why he has been trusted with a senior chance now.
