Johnson scored again, but Iceland saved a draw against Wales with a goal Nations League

After 29 minutes, shown on the big screen behind the track, Wales were 2-0 up and closing in on victory in Iceland, but just when Craig Bellamy was starting to make this management ploy look pretty easy, along came Although there was a worrying collapse in the second half, there is still plenty of room for improvement.

Brennan Johnson pushed his way to the goal-line and scored his seventh goal in seven games before Harry Wilson doubled Wales' lead, but after the break Iceland asked Bellamy's team questions and they buckled under the pressure of finding answers. Logi Tómasson, a half-time substitute, was involved in two goals in three minutes of the second half, equalizing the score, and Jón Dagur Thorsteinsson almost made a comeback, but his shot crashed off the post with a minute left in regulation time over.

Wales got off to a blistering start in Montenegro last month, scoring a one-two in the first three minutes in Montenegro. Here they had to wait a little longer, but they were in the lead after half an hour.

Neco Williams, who had had a truly flawless first half despite taking the anatomy of Preston midfielder Stefán Thordarson's foot, set up both goals with identical ping passes across the Icelandic backline.

The first time, Harry Wilson saw his shot blocked off the line by Brentford goalkeeper Hákon Rafn Valdimarsson before Johnson feasted on the loose ball to continue his extraordinary scoring run, and the second time Wilson buried a bouncing ball down low Corner.

“Wales away, uh-huh, uh-huh, I like it,” came the familiar refrain from over 1,000 fans who had swapped bucket hats for woolen hats in freezing temperatures.

Wales arrived in the Icelandic capital, the land of fire and ice and the world's northernmost capital, in high spirits despite the absence of Ethan Ampadu and Aaron Ramsey, while Joe Allen was not in the squad, presumably with one eye on visiting Montenegro in Cardiff on Monday. Williams, Johnson and Danny Ward, back in goal and one of four changes from last time out in Niksic, all wore gloves.

The backdrop of Mount Esja, which dominates Reykjavík's skyline, and Videy Island, home to the Imagine Peace Tower, a monument to John Lennon, made for an impressive setting. Things couldn't have gone better on the pitch.

Wilson saw another attempt take a nasty deflection and a shot against the base of a post, and a few minutes before half-time the Fulham midfielder Sorba sent Thomas through on goal with a wonderful, incisive pass, but Thomas pushed the ball on Upper body of the Icelandic goalkeeper.

Jóhann Berg Gudmundsson, the Iceland captain who played under Bellamy while the Wales coach was assistant to Vincent Kompany at Burnley, fired a free-kick into the roof of Ward's net but Wales largely kept the hosts at bay. Williams cleared the line and Bellamy's name filled the Icelandic air.

The second half was a much more difficult affair for Wales, who could easily have been 3-2 down 10 minutes after the restart. Mikael Ellertsson, who came on at half-time, shot wide four minutes after the break and a minute later Orri Óskarsson fired a rasping shot onto the crossbar. Then Ellertsson had another chance, scooping the ball across goal after Eidur's son Andri Gudjohnsen picked Thorsteinsson's pass out of the air. Ward then saved from Gudjohnsen. Wes Burns, who came on at half-time for the booked Johnson, barely had a shot.

Iceland were now a different prospect and shortly after Ward Gudmundsson made an excellent save, Tómasson sent a flawless left-footed shot into the far corner with the outside of his boot. Wales ignored the warnings. Thorsteinsson released Tómasson with a clever backheel attack on the left, and he easily managed to get around Connor Roberts and strolled to the byline. Tómasson tried to square the ball but his cutback bounced off Ward and deflected. Bellamy, his hands in the pockets of his dark chinos, stalked back to the dugout.

Bellamy then made a double substitution: Ben Cabango and Liam Cullen replaced Roberts and Thomas, who, like the rest of the Wales players who had nothing to fear in the second half, failed to make an impact. For Wales it was both beautiful and ugly in stunning scenery.