Wales battled back from a goal down to halt their winless streak with a 2-1 Nations League victory over 10-man Norway.
Bellamy’s side appeared set for a difficult evening when Oscar Bobb prodded Norway in front early on at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Yet Wales drew level deservedly just before the interval, Dan James finishing off Sorba Thomas’ cross.
Norway center-back Torbjorn Heggem added impetus when he was dismissed for pulling James down on the edge of the box within the first 30 seconds of the second half.
Neco Williams made sure Heggem’s foul brought double punishment, outfoxing Orjan Nyland with a clever free-kick that curled inside the Norway keeper’s right-hand post.
This was a well-timed, morale-lifting win for Wales, who had been under pressure to get a result after failing to win any of their previous six internationals.
It marked a first victory over a side ranked higher in the world since Bellamy took charge in 2024 and—at the ninth attempt—a first-ever success for Wales in Nations League A.
Wales had gone behind to the game’s first notable attack, Bobb feeding Martin Odegaard before darting in behind the static Welsh defense to collect his captain’s return pass.
That allowed Fulham winger Bobb to poke the ball past the advancing Danny Ward and inside the near post.
With confidence low, Wales could have crumbled yet Bellamy’s team hit back by taking the game to Norway.
Thomas was a constant threat down the left, with Wales pressing for an equalizer without finding a way through until Liam Cullen intercepted Fredrik Aursnes’ pass seven minutes before half-time.
Wales struck decisively, Lewis Koumas spreading the ball wide for Thomas to set up James’ 11th international goal.
The red card arrived when, after failing to deal with Ben Davies’ hopeful ball forward, Heggem locked arms with James and sent the Wales winger tumbling to the ground.
Nyland might have done better then, taking a step to his left before Williams’ precise set-piece went in off the former Aston Villa keeper’s right-hand post.
Wales had chances to add to their lead, with substitutes Josh Sheehan and Mark Harris kept out by Nyland, before Norway fought back in the closing stages.
It was not until nine minutes from the end that Erling Haaland got a sight of goal, the striker rising high to meet a Marcus Pedersen cross but heading straight at Ward.
When Jorgen Stand Larsen fired over late on, Wales’ work was complete.
Norway had maintained that star striker Haaland would be unaffected by news that his club, Manchester City, has been found guilty of financial breaches.
Whether or not it was city-related, Haaland endured a frustrating, fruitless evening against a battling Welsh defense.
Haaland had scored 65 goals in just 57 internationals before this, yet he never looked like adding to that remarkable record in Cardiff.
His only clear look at goal arrived late on as Bellamy’s side dropped deep but Ward made a comfortable save on an evening when Wales did an excellent job of containing arguably the finest centre-forward on the planet.
