Charlie was among the starters as Wales Under-21s took on Austria Under-21s in their latest UEFA U21 EURO Qualification, Group I outing of the ongoing international window.After slipping to a narrow one-goal defeat against Belgium a week ago, head coach Matt Jones was looking for an improved display.
Taking place at The Oval in Caernarfon, it was the visitors who would score the opening goal of the game when Sturm Graz midfielder Luca Weinhandl squeezed the ball past Southend United stopper Joe Duncan with seventeen minutes on the clock.
Austria would double their just before the midway point in the first half when Weinhandl's Sturm Graz teammate Jacob-Peter Hödl got in on the action. A difficult opening twenty-minutes for the Dragons.
Austria would double their just before the midway point in the first half when Weinhandl's Sturm Graz teammate Jacob-Peter Hödl got in on the action. A difficult opening twenty-minutes for the Dragons.
However, with half-an-hour on the clock, Wales were back in contention when Crewe Alexandra midfielder Calum Agius halved the deficit, in a half that was action-packed.
Austria were soon back among the goals when Genoa midfielder David Puczka re-established his side's two-goal advantage a few minutes before the break, with Wales having plenty to do in order to get back into the contest.
Their task ws made that bit harder after the break when Burnley midfielder Oluwaseun Adewumi, who is currently on loan with Hertha Berlin, made it 4-1 to Austria with eleven minutes of the second half played.
Wales continued to ship goals, and their visitors' fifth came from a home player as Noah Anyadike deflected the ball into the back of his own net, as Austria piled on the pressure.
The goal-scoring didn't end there, either, as Austria were soon presented with a golden opportunity to add a sixth when the referee pointed to the spot. Where Partizan midfielder Erik Kojzek was only too happy to take advantage and slotted the ball home.
With four minutes of the second-half still to be played, there was time for yet another goal as Brentford defender Jannik Schuster crashed the ball home, the Welsh youngsters looking all at sea as they opponents continued to pick them off at will.
A disappointing defeat in Gwynedd for Charlie and his teammates as he will soon be back with the Saddlers as they take on Fleetwood Town at the weekend.
