Wales' dreams of automatic qualification for the World Cup have suffered a severe setback after a 4-2 defeat to Belgium in a thrilling encounter. The Red Dragons' superb start, sparked by Joe Rodon's opening goal, was swiftly extinguished by a disputed penalty against Ethan Ampadu, which changed the momentum of the game.
Despite enjoying periods of possession and creating scoring opportunities, Wales were unable to capitalize on their chances, a trend that has plagued them in their recent encounters with Belgium. The visitors, led by Kevin de Bruyne, took advantage of their opportunities, with the midfielder scoring twice from the penalty spot to help his team secure a crucial win.
The result means Belgium are poised to claim top spot in their qualifying group, unless they suffer an unexpected loss to Liechtenstein, who have not won a qualifier in over a decade. Wales, on the other hand, will have to navigate the play-offs to potentially secure a spot in the World Cup.
Head coach Craig Bellamy will take heart from his team's attacking display, but will be concerned about their inability to translate possession into results. Wales' play-off path will be determined by their upcoming matches against Liechtenstein and North Macedonia, with the latter potentially serving as a decider in Cardiff next month.
Comments (0)
Leave a Comment
Be the first to comment on this article!