The anthems rang out into the evening sky, relating that Wales would give till the final. Yma O Hyd — ‘Nonetheless Right here’ — declared the one which appeared so becoming, provided that when Gareth Bale walked away, the hopes of one other match play-off like this appeared misplaced.
Nevertheless it was to not be. It got here right down to penalties this time and within the remaining reckoning, Dan James, who missed the final of them, was left with the form of agony that few professionals know. There will probably be no Wales bucket hats within the bars of Berlin and Munich this summer time.
Welsh minds had been keen, their defence completely resilient and the Purple Wall indomitable to the final. There was even a rendition of Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau earlier than the kicks ensued.
However, actually, it was the absence of a second of genius earlier than that penalty jeopardy which value Wales. Not lengthy earlier than the tip of additional time, a free-kick materialised within the form of place the place Bale would usually step as much as despatch them on these events. Harry Wilson despatched it into the wall.
It wasn’t the primary time. For only one second, a bit after half-time, the Welsh nation collectively held its breath and watched a ball head in direction of purpose which could have additionally despatched the staff to Germany.
Daniel James had his penalty saved to see Wales lose 5-4 on penalties to Poland, lacking out on a Euro 2024 place
Wales fought exhausting however had been unable to safe a spot at a 3rd consecutive main match
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Three good headed possibilities got here and went for Moore. His angles had been askew when the primary offered itself within the first half. Szczesny’s save repelled the second. He headed the third into the turf.
And he wasn’t the one one struggling to ship in opposition to a white wall of tall Poles.
Kieffer Moore had risen to fulfill Neco Williams’ cross and propelled it in direction of the top-right nook of the online. Wojciech Szczesny twisted himself in direction of the ball and expertly gloved it away.
Moore had posed Web page’s wide range conundrum, simply as he has for a lot of the supervisor’s 4 years on the helm. He opted for his aerial energy over the tempo and invention of David Brooks, whose choice in opposition to Finland had introduced Wales a purpose as they flooded the opposition again line with gamers. It didn’t repay.
Brennan Johnson flattered to deceive, as he has executed so typically with Wales. He set off like a missile within the recreation’s early levels however went off the boil and was changed by James.
Wilson began properly and was an intermittent risk, although he, too, did not make the identical imprint he had in opposition to Finland.
For Web page, there are such a lot of what-ifs, although the evening of Friday, June 16 final 12 months on this place will hang-out him essentially the most. It was when Armenia, ranked 97th on this planet, arrived and inflicted essentially the most humiliating defeat Wales have skilled this century.
Dropping 4-2 — and dropping two factors in Yerevan 5 months later — proved fateful, as issues transpired.
Ben Davies thought he had headed Wales in entrance earlier than the break however VAR dominated out his purpose
A tense recreation in Cardiff was 0-0 after 90 minutes, sending the sport to extra-time – after which penalties
The questions which then ensued about Web page impressed his gamers to a win over Croatia, although many will now argue {that a} simpler supervisor would have seen them to Germany. Wales FA chief government Noel Mooney indicated final October that Web page’s future was depending on qualification.
This was nonetheless some evening, although, with electrical energy bolts capturing by way of this stadium even earlier than a ball had been kicked. The substantial and noisy Polish contingent had been bolshy, refusing stewards’ requests to take their seats, and when the sport started, there was resistance from the gamers, too.
Buoyed by the early noise which nearly blew the roof off this place, Wales drove on the Poles, pressed them exhausting, in search of an early breakthrough.
However Williams, whose proper flank was the prime attacking entrance within the first half, discovered full again Przemyslaw Frankowski a formidable opponent, suffocating his likelihood to run free and trigger hazard.
Moore and Ben Davies received in one another’s method when leaping for an aerial likelihood. And when the identical gamers mixed to get the ball into the online simply earlier than half-time, Davies had strayed offside by the size of a boot when nodding Moore’s header on into the online.
Rob Web page’s future hangs within the stability after Wales FA chief government Noel Mooney indicated final October that his future was depending on qualification
Poland are on their fifth supervisor since Rob Web page took over at Wales however received over the road
Chris Mepham noticed purple within the dying moments earlier than Wales crashed out after a second yellow
Robert Lewandowski was becalmed. Chris Mepham — who noticed purple within the dying moments of additional time for his second yellow card — misplaced him from a second-half nook, although Wales escaped as he headed over. When Lewandowski lastly ran flat on the Welsh rearguard, Davies coolly dispossessed him.
However as the sport wore on, a Wales purpose appeared much less and fewer possible, leaving James with the enormity of that tenth kick. He was ashen-faced as he left the sphere and although Web page seemed to supply some solace, the supervisor is the one peering into uncertainty right this moment as Wales work out the place to go from right here.
