CHERRIES pair Kieffer Moore and Chris Mepham started in Wales’ opening 1-1 draw with Croatia in their UEFA European Championship qualifying campaign.

Andrej Kramaric popped up in the 38th minute with seemingly the game’s only goal, Cymru unable to muster a shot on target until late on.

Mepham provided debutant Nathan Broadhead with an assist as Wales earnt a last-gasp equaliser.

Rob Page named Mepham and Moore as starters, the pair having also been named in the first XI for Wales’ last game, a 3-0 defeat to England. 

The game was notable for the fact that it was Wales’ first fixture since the retirement of star Gareth Bale, as well as the long-serving Chris Gunter, Joe Allen, and Jonny Williams.

Despite the new look without their key player of the last decades, Wales looked much the same side that crashed out of the World Cup without a win in November.

Kieffer Moore featured for 70 minutes before being replaced by Millwall’s Tom Bradshaw. 

But it would be Ipswich Town’s Broadhead who would be Wales’ saviour, the attacker coming off the bench to salvage an unlikely point for Cymru, Mepham flicking on a long throw to the back post for the striker to stab home. 

Wales are next in action on Tuesday, when they host Latvia.