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Connor Roberts insists it is naive to expect Wales to qualify for every major tournament. Wales have reached the last two European Championships and the 2022 World Cup after ending a 58-year wait to play at a major tournament. But making Euro 2024 in Germany next summer was seriously dented by qualifying defeats to Armenia and Turkey in June. Wales travel to Latvia on Monday knowing victory is essential to maintain hopes of automatic qualification, although being a top-tier team in the last edition of the Nations League will offer them the safety net of a play-off place. “I think there’s a bit of a determination to not feel like we did after those previous two games,” said Burnley wing-back Roberts, 27, who is set to win his 50th cap at Riga’s Skonto Stadium. “The only way to not feel like that is to win the game or to play well. It’s just remembering what got us to be performing well and to qualify for big competitions and to win games before. “That is hard work and dedication, but I think we would be naive to think that we’re going to qualify for every single tournament going forward and win loads of games. “We are still a small nation in the grand scheme of things. So we have to keep our feet on the ground and realise where we’ve come from.” Wales have had a difficult 12 months since qualifying for the World Cup by beating Ukraine in a play-off final. The talismanic Gareth Bale retired after the World Cup, other senior players left the international stage, and boss Rob Page has come under scrutiny after one win in 13 games – a 1-0 home victory against Latvia in March. There were some positive signs in Thursday’s goalless friendly against South Korea, but the sight of Cardiff City Stadium little more than a third full with an attendance of 13,668 underlined Wales’ current malaise. Roberts said: “We find ourselves in a difficult position, but we’re still in with a chance (of qualifying) and all you can do is try and win the next game. “If, come the end of the campaign, it’s not good enough then we just have to move on and progress as a country and as a footballing nation.” Roberts reaches his 50-cap milestone after being something of a late developer in the game. He did not make his debut for first club Swansea until he was 22 following loan spells with varying degrees of success at Yeovil, Bristol Rovers and Middlesbrough. Roberts said: “There was many a time at Middlesbrough and Bristol where I laid in my bed on my own miles away from my family thinking ‘maybe I ain’t good enough to be a footballer’. “Now I have nearly 50 caps for my country and no-one can ever take that away from me. “I’ve had some unbelievable experiences – a World Cup, a Euros, a couple of goals and a load of happy times in the Wales jersey. So hopefully that can continue for a couple of years at least.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Scott McTominay stars again as Scotland close on Euro 2024 spot with Cyprus win Jos Buttler says England not taking any risks over fitness after heavy defeat Gareth Southgate won’t be swayed by ‘external reaction’ over Jordan Henderson

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Scott McTominay continued his stunning Euro 2024 qualifying form as Scotland brushed aside Cyprus 3-0 to move within touching distance of Germany. The Manchester United midfielder opened the scoring in the sixth minute in the AEK Arena in Larnaca with his sixth goal in five games before Ryan Porteous volleyed in his first international goal nine minutes later. The three points were effectively secured in the 29th minute when McTominay set up John McGinn for a third and the Old Trafford man hit the woodwork late on as the visitors cruised to victory. Steve Clarke’s side have now won five out of five Group A qualifiers to sit nine points ahead of Spain having played two fixtures more. Scotland host England in a 150th anniversary heritage match on Tuesday night and if Norway and Georgia draw in their qualifier the same evening then the Scots will have reached their second successive European Championships. And if that scenario does not materialise then there are still games against Spain, Georgia and Norway to finish the job themselves. Scotland could hardly have been in better form going into the match in Larnaca, having gone eight competitive games unbeaten, including wins over Spain and Norway. And it seemed like a Scotland home game with more than the official 3,728 Tartan Army members inside the 8,056-capacity stadium. Temur Ketsbaia’s team had lost their opening three qualifiers, including a 3-0 defeat at Hampden Park in March and so confidence was rightly high in the visiting camp. Che Adams rather than Lyndon Dykes led the Scotland line, closely supported by McGinn and McTominay and they all combined for the opener. A quick Adams throw-in released skipper Andy Robertson down the left and when he stood his cross up, McGinn flicked on inside the six-yard box – it looked like he had miscued it – for McTominay to head in at the back post. Cyprus’s positive reaction saw striker Pieros Sotiriou hit the bar a minute later but the offside flag was up before attacking midfielder Grigoris Kastanos tested Scotland keeper Angus Gunn with a long-range drive. In the 13th minute Kastanos came close with another powerful drive from 25 yards before the Scots doubled their lead. Robertson’s deep free-kick in to the home penalty area was headed onwards by Jack Hendry and fellow centre-back Porteous took a touch before firing past Cyprus keeper Joel Mall. Just before the half-hour mark a fine Scotland move down the right ended with McTominay setting up the unmarked McGinn to curl in his 17th Scotland goal from the edge of the box. Scotland were playing with a swagger and McTominay drove just wide from 20 yards before McGinn shot from inside his own half. The tension had gone from the game but Kastanos again made Gunn react quickly to save another effort from distance. McTominay almost got a significant touch on a Robertson cross early in the second half as the game began to feel more like a friendly. Clarke made changes in the 66th minute with Kenny McLean and Dykes on for Billy Gilmour and Adams. Scotland bossed the final stages and in the 74th minute McTominay’s right-footed shot from the edge of the box beat Mall but rebounded off the post, before Stuart Armstrong, Nathan Patterson and Ryan Christie made cameo appearances. England are up next up and that is always a massive game for Scotland but the Tartan Army will have one eye on the result in Oslo on the same night to see if their appearance in the Euro finals in Germany are confirmed, although that may just be a matter of time. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Jos Buttler says England not taking any risks over fitness after heavy defeat Gareth Southgate won’t be swayed by ‘external reaction’ over Jordan Henderson Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell tons help New Zealand beat England in first ODI

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Gareth Southgate says he has never picked an England team “based on external reaction” and will not change tack despite Jordan Henderson facing a potential backlash from some fans for moving to Saudi Arabia. The 33-year-old this summer swapped the Liverpool captaincy for the Saudi Pro League, joining Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq in a controversial £12million deal. Henderson has been a high-profile supporter of LGBTQ+ rights during his time on Merseyside and this week apologised for any hurt he caused by moving to a country where homosexuality is illegal. The midfielder hoped his move to Saudi Arabia can help the LGBTQ+ rights movement and is now set to feature in his first international match since joining Al-Ettifaq when England face Ukraine in Saturday’s Euro 2024 qualifier in Wroclaw. Asked if the potential for a negative reaction towards Henderson impacts his thinking, Southgate said: “No, I don’t pick the team based on external reaction as you’ll be well aware over the course of seven years. “But he’s a very experienced professional. He is very mature at handling any situation, really. “He’s trained really well this week, the whole group have. I’ve been really pleased with the approach to everything. Everybody is available, which is good for us.” I don’t pick the team based on external reaction as you’ll be well aware over the course of seven years. Gareth Southgate Joe White, the co-chair of LGBTQ+ fan groups network Pride in Football and founder of Three Lions Pride, last week said they did not believe Henderson would receive a hostile reception from LGBTQ+ supporters. However, they warned that his presence could see some fans turn their back on the midfielder “in the same way he turned his back on us” – something Henderson said it hurt to hear. “Well, I think Jordan expressed himself this week that he’d be sad if that’s how they felt,” England boss Southgate said. “His feeling towards that community hasn’t changed. “I think as a team… I am sure all of our fans are going to get behind the team when the game starts. “I understand some of the comments that have been, and I respect the comments that have been made. “But I think what’s also been said is that they’re going to get behind the team when we play, and I am sure they’ll get behind Jordan when the game starts as well.” Southgate has a 24-strong squad to select from against Ukraine, with England looking to all but secure qualification for Euro 2024 by claiming a fifth straight Group C win. The Polish city of Wroclaw is playing host to the match as Ukraine continue to stage matches outside of their homeland following the Russian invasion last year, with a yellow and blue wall awaiting England at the Tarczynski Arena. “We know of course hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians are living here so we’re expecting a very passionate and partisan support for their team,” Southgate said. “We are used to playing in that sort of environment. “We’re of course respectful of the occasion, but our job is to come here and attempt to win a football game. “So, for us making sure we keep the emotions in check and make sure that we’re focusing on our job.” Southgate added: “I can’t talk on a broader perspective but football-wise it’s just a difficult game for us. “A team we respect a lot, some players that have played in England that some of the players know very, very well. “We know that we have to be at our very best to get the win that we want.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell tons help New Zealand beat England in first ODI Harry Kane admits his German ‘hasn’t really come along’ since Bayern Munich move Andrew Flintoff watches England-New Zealand ODI from team balcony

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