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Wales national football team
Euro Champ Qualifying | Group Stage
Sep 6, 2019 at 7.45pm UK
 
Azerbaijan national football team

2-1

Pasayev (26' og.), Bale (84')
FT(HT: 1-0)
Madatov (59')

Tom Lawrence heaps praise on Chelsea boss Frank Lampard

The pair spent last season together when Derby reached the Sky Bet Championship play-off final.

Tom Lawrence has revealed how Frank Lampard helped him through the pain of losing his mother and says the Chelsea manager is "always there" for him.

Lawrence's mother Deb died when the Wales forward played for Lampard at Derby last season.

"If I ever need anything, he's always there," Lawrence said of Lampard, who joined Chelsea after guiding Derby to the Sky Bet Championship play-off final in his one season at the club.

"He was great with me with things that have happened in my personal life at the back end of last year.

"He's also helped me a lot and I'll always have great things to say about the gaffer (Lampard)."

Lawrence hopes to win his 20th cap against Azerbaijan on Friday as Wales seek to revive their Euro 2020 qualification hopes.

Wales trail leaders Hungary by six points, albeit with a game in hand, and are three adrift of Croatia and Slovakia in the race for a top-two spot.

But boss Ryan Giggs has been boosted by the fact that Lawrence, Gareth Bale, Daniel James and Harry Wilson have all been among the goals at club level this season.

Bale ended a scoring drought stretching back to March 16 with a brace in Real Madrid's 2-2 LaLiga draw at Villarreal on Sunday, although Wales' talisman did blot his copybook by being sent off in stoppage time.

"There's a few of us pushing for a start on Friday and we'll all be looking forward to getting on the pitch," Lawrence said.

"When he (Bale) is playing he's one of the world's best. Every time he can get on the pitch for Wales is a bonus.

"It always helps when you're playing games. When you're not match-fit it's never easy to come and play games.

"We can't leave it all down to Gareth himself, other players have got to chip in and help the team."

Lawrence has extra motivation to reach next year's competition as he missed out at Euro 2016 when Wales qualified for their first tournament since 1958 and reached the semi-finals in France.

The 25-year-old tore ankle ligaments having been part of the pre-tournament training squad in Portugal.

"It was a tough time," Lawrence said. "You're looking forward to going to the Euros and for that to be halted by an injury is never nice.

"I'd love to play in a major tournament. It was my biggest learning curve in missing the Euros and dealing with that.

"Since then I've come on a long way. It would be nice to get in there again."

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Chris Mepham celebrates scoring for Bournemouth on August 10, 2019
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Euro 2024 fixtures header
Tuesday, July 9
 
8pm
Semi-Finals
Spain
vs.
France
Wednesday, July 10
 
8pm
Sunday, July 14
Tables header RHS

Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Germany Germany32107
Q Switzerland Switzerland31205
3 Hungary Hungary31023
4 Scotland flag Scotland30121

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Spain Spain33009
Q Italy Italy31114
3 Croatia Croatia30212
4 Albania national flag Albania30121

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
Q England flag England31205
Q Denmark Denmark30303
Q Slovenia Slovenia30303
4 Serbia Serbia30212

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Austria Austria32016
Q France France31205
Q Netherlands Netherlands31114
4 Poland Poland30121

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Romania Romania31114
Q Belgium Belgium31114
Q Slovakia Slovakia31114
4 Ukraine Ukraine31114

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Portugal Portugal32016
Q Turkey Turkey32016
Q Georgia Georgia31114
4 Czech Republic Czech Republic30121


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