Wales have been dealt a mammoth blow to their hopes of automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup as they succumbed to a home defeat at the hands of Belgium.
The hosts got off to the perfect start, with Joe Rodon’s eighth-minute header seeing Craig Bellamy’s side capitalise on early pressure in Cardiff. However, Belgium flipped the game on its head before the half-hour mark, with Kevin De Bruyne levelling from the spot before Thomas Meunier fired into the top corner to complete the turnaround.
The visitors added to their lead after the break through another De Bruyne penalty, and while Nathan Broadhead instilled late hope with his 89th-minute finish, Leandro Trossard quickly put dreams of a fightback to bed just a minute later.
It leaves Craig Bellamy’s side with only a glimmer of hope when it comes to topping their qualification group, meaning it will likely be through the perilous play-offs if Wales are to compete in next summer’s World Cup finals.
Relive all the action from the Cardiff City Stadium below:
Ethan Ampadu pleads for Wales to ‘pick themselves back up’
“We can take some positives from what happened out there but the result isn’t what we wanted,” he told BBC Sport.
“We’re disappointed with the goals. Against a good team they were cheap goals to give away.
“You go through disappointments, you go through hard defeats and tough results, but we’ve got to pick ourselves up. We’re going to do that.
“There’s a gap now as we go back to our club teams, but when we come back, the pride of playing for Wales comes through.”
James will ‘regret’ penalty incident, says Williams
Former Wales defender Ashley Williams feels Jordan James will regret the penalty incident that saw him lean into the ball and fall foul of a handball in the second half.
“I think it’s natural instinct,” he told BBC Sport. “It seems so obviously stupid now but when the ball is there and you’re frustrated you will try and stop it.
“The moment it hits his arm he will have regretted it straight away.”
Wales dealt major blow to hopes of automatic World Cup qualfication
FULL-TIME! Wales 2-4 Belgium
It’s a gutting result for Wales, who know that it will likely be through the play-offs if they are to book their place across the pond for the World Cup finals next year.
Wales 2-4 Belgium
90+8 mins: Wilson to Thomas, whose shot deflects wide.
And there goes the whistle!
Wales 2-4 Belgium
90+7 mins: Wales have a free-kick on the edge of the Belgium box.
Can Wilson’s wand of a left foot make this another 4-3?
Wales 2-4 Belgium
90+5 mins: Shocked that Doku hasn’t managed to find the net tonight.
He’s been absolutely sensational, and he could have made it five for Belgium as he drove in from the right.
Up the other end, Wales are peppering the Belgium box with crosses. Perhaps a bit in vain with time running out.
Wales 2-4 Belgium
90+1 mins: The most painful thing about Trossard’s goal was that just as it went in, the board went up for seven additional minutes.
Wales had time to get another. Maybe not two.
