Leeds United man's relentless schedule continues but injury-free return one step closer amid blow for young pair
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Joe Rodon looks to have come through his first Wales appearance of the October break unscathed but was pushed through another full 90 minutes as his side drew 2-2 in Iceland.
Rodon was the only Leeds United player in action for Craig Bellamy’s side - a rarity, given he is one of five Welsh internationals in Daniel Farke’s squad - who threw away a two-goal lead to share the Nations League points in Reykjavík. Brennan Johnson and Harry Wilson scored almost identical first-half goals to give the Dragons a commanding advantage at the break, but they conceded twice in three minutes just after the hour mark.
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Hide AdIceland substitute Logi Tomasson pulled one back on 69 minutes before forcing goalkeeper Danny Ward into an own-goal with virtually his side’s next attack. Wales were made to fight up until the final seconds to hold onto their point in a freezing Laugardalsvöllur stadium.
“There’s a lot to benefit us, especially the second half,” Wales boss Bellamy told The Independent of the result. “It allows us to coach more, it builds a library in the players’ head: ‘Remember this situation, remember when we found this period difficult’. This is not me trying to sugar-coat drawing after being 2-0 up, it really isn’t. What I’m telling you (reporters) I told the players. This was really good.”
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Another battling performance means Rodon has now played virtually every minute available for club and country this season, with the defender only missing out on the final few minutes of last month’s 1-0 defeat at home to Burnley. That’s virtually 13 full games in the space of 63 days at an average of one game every 4.8 days - and that’s with just two midweek club games to factor in.
But Rodon showed his ability to power through the fixture congestion last season and Daniel Farke will just be happy to see him get through Friday’s game without picking up an injury. Wales host Montenegro on Monday evening before the centre-back returns to Thorp Arch.
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Hide AdKarl Darlow watched on from the bench in Iceland and so Rodon was the only senior Leeds player in action last night, although a couple of promising academy talents endured tough evenings. Scotland under-21s faced Belgium in a game to virtually decide who would make it into the Euro Under-21 play-off round, with Jeremiah Mullen’s Tartan Army losing 2-1 at Tynecastle.
Meanwhile, Charlie Crew was an unused substitute as Wales under-21s lost 2-1 at home to Czechia, who could rise into the play-off place if they win their game in hand. But Farke will welcome an evening without injury, given how busy the treatment room at Thorp Arch is currently.