Nathan Blake and Kevin Ratcliffe were full of praise for Leeds United winger Dan James on BBC Radio Wales throughout Wales’ World Cup qualifying draw with Belgium on Tuesday.
Robert Page gave James his 30th cap for the Dragons against the No.1-ranked footballing nation at the Cardiff City Stadium. And he marked the occasion by recording his fifth assist.
Kevin de Bruyne opened the scoring for Roberto Martinez’s Red Devils from the edge of the area on 12-minutes. But Kieffer Moore cancelled the Manchester City maestro’s strike out.
James was the architect of Moore’s goal, as the Leeds winger drove down the left flank and lifted the ball into the box. Finding gold on the third attempt, after two bites of the cherry.
Moore cushioned the ball and let it drop, before spearing his strike past Koen Casteels and into the net. Delighting former Wales and Leicester striker Blake, who noted (16/11, 20:18):
“That was fantastic. Credit to Dan James too, he had a few chances to get that cross in but he timed it to perfection.”
Leeds dynamo James thrills in Wales draw with Belgium
James continued to impress one-time Leeds loanee Blake and ex-Wales defender Ratcliffe during the Dragons’ meeting with Belgium. With the 24-year-old’s pace a topic for praise.
“It was a fantastic ball to Dan James, he is lightning quick,” Blake later added (20:52). While Ratcliffe noted: “When Dan James uses his pace, he is frightening. I’d like to see him take on players a bit more with it.”
James burst on a mistake by Dedryck Boyata when the defender failed to control a high ball early in the second-half of Wales’ draw with Belgium. But Connor Roberts made a hash of his shot, after Leeds’ £25m summer signing’s cross managed to evade everyone in the box.
Boyata later took revenge on James by blocking Neco Williams’ shot after the Leeds winger raced down the channel. Denying the Beverley-born dynamo a second assist of the night.
James will hope his Wales exploits now carry over into the Premier League with Leeds at Tottenham on Sunday. He has so far offered just one assist in eight outings since leaving Manchester United on Deadline Day in August.
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