Cornelius golazo gives Canada win over Wales

Derek Cornelius's first goal in a Canada shirt was a magical one.

The Rangers centre-back's sensational free kick in the 41st minute was the game's only goal as Canada defeated Wales 1-0 in Swansea. Coming on the heels of a 3-0 win over Romania on Friday, the victory marked Canada's first-ever two-game winning streak over European opposition in Europe.

Manager Jesse Marsch made a pair of changes to the starting XI from Friday's friendly. Minnesota United goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair came in for Maxime Crepeau. While the Portland Timbers man is in concussion protocol, the plan was always for St. Clair to play in the second match of this window. With Stephen Eustaquio returning to Porto after picking up a lower-body injury in the Romania match, Nathan Saliba came into the centre of midfield to partner Ismael Kone.

Tuesday's match was the fourth ever meeting between the two sides and the first in over 20 years. After Canada won their first match, 2-0 in Toronto in 1986, Wales won the next two, a 3-0 win in Vancouver 10 days later and a 1-0 victory in Wrexham in 2004, a match in which current Wales boss Craig Bellamy started.

Canada wanted a penalty in the match's opening minutes as Richie Layrea was taken down by debutant Ronan Kpakio. While replays showed that there was contact, referee Robert Jones waved play on. With no VAR in place, there was no review. Seconds later, Wales should have been ahead. Leeds winger Daniel James found a completely unmarked David Brooks near the spot, but the Bournemouth man's effort was a poor one, mistiming his volley and not even getting a shot off.

Kone came close in the ninth when he rang a ball off of the post with Adam Davies, in for the injured Karl Darlow, powerless to intercede. Later, Tajon Buchanan set up Villarreal teammate Tani Oluwaseyi, who dinked the ball just outside the far post as Canada kept the pressure on.

Canada threatened again in the 27th. Laryea danced near the goal line before rifling a hard shot from a tight angle whipped across the front of goal.

With Jones quick to reach for his book for most of the 90 minutes, Buchanan saw yellow in the 35th when he kicked a ball away in frustration after a foul from Oluwaseyi ended what looked like a threatening Canada move forward. Marsch would also get booked for complaining to Jones in the aftermath.

In the 38th, Luc de Fougerolles nearly opened his Canada account in style. From an Ali Ahmed corner, his flick on smacked the cross bar and bounced away from the net.

Canada got its goal in the 41st. Awarded a free kick from about 25 yards out following a foul on Saliba, Cornelius stood over to take. The Gers defender, on loan from Marseille, scored a golazo. Cornelius curled a beautiful effort over the wall and into Davies' net.

The second opened with Wales asserting itself more than it had in the closing stages of the first half. In the 52nd, Oxford United's Mark Harris almost bagged a spectacular first international goal. As the ball pinballed around the box from a Dragons corner, Harris's overhead kick appeared primed for the top corner, but de Fougerolles headed off of the line and into the hands of St. Clair.

After Canada broke forward in the 57th through Buchanan, Saliba hammered a shot from just outside the area that cleared the cross bar. Minutes later, Wales should have been level through a corner, but 19-year-old Charlie Crew's header at the far post was tame and right into the arms of St. Clair.

Cornelius might have saved a goal in the 63rd. A dangerous-looking Wales move saw the ball come to Harry Wilson at the edge of the box, but before the Fulham man could get his shot off, Cornelius flew in with a fine tackle to deflect the ball back to St. Clair.

In the 66th, Canada almost doubled its lead. A fine pass from Saliba managed to spring Oluwaseyi in behind the Welsh backline. As Oluwaseyi readied to shoot, Ben Davies ran back to just get in the away enough to deflect the ball well over the bar.

Wales pressed forward in the 73rd. Davies sent a beautiful long ball for Wilson in behind the Canada backline, but Laryea flew in with a perfectly timed tackle to dispossess without a foul.

The hosts had their best late chance to earn something from the match in the final minute of the 90. Ben Davies sent in a fine ball on the wing for Sorba Thomas. The Stoke City winger served up a beautiful cross for Harris, who fired wide.