Daily Times

CARDIFF: Wales made a winning start to their Euro 2020 qualifying campaign after Daniel James scored his first international goal on his competitive debut to give them a 1-0 home win over Slovakia in a lively Group E clash on Sunday. The Swansea midfielder delighted the home fans in a packed Cardiff City stadium when he robbed defender Peter Pekarik of the ball and unleashed a stinging low shot past keeper Martin Dubravka in the fifth minute. The Slovakians, who beat Hungary 2-0 at home in their opening match on Thursday, went close to snatching a draw in the second half but were denied by a pair of superb saves from Wayne Hennessey. The Wales keeper thwarted Albert Rusnak from close range in the 54th minute and kept out a Michal Duris header with an acrobatic save in the 74th as the visitors pressed forward relentlessly in search of an equaliser. In between those two chances, Dubravka somehow parried a stinging Harry Wilson volley while Pekarik almost made amends for his early error when he headed inches wide of the far post in the closing stages.