Category Poland

Cardiff turns into a theatre of pain and leaves Wales facing an empty summer | Wales

Well, that’s one thing new no less than. And don’t fear. It solely takes about 30 years, a bit little bit of scar tissue, and maybe a mournful novelty tune to recover from it. Poland had 5 pictures on course all night time on the Cardiff Metropolis Stadium. Sadly for Wales all 5 got here within the penalty shoot out on the finish of two and a half hours of relentlessly draining Euro 2024 qualifying playoff soccer. Within the course of a primary ever aggressive shootout for Wales turned additionally a primary ever defeat by that almost all knuckle-biting of margins. It fell to Dan James to contribute the decisive miss at 5-4 down, all the time the worst option to lose on this self-contained theatre of ache. The kick felt incorrect from the second James lined it up. The run was too brief. There may be that feeling, in these moments, of a footballer all of a sudden cramped in their very own area, the radar beginning to bleep, the dials whirring, the day beginning to slide the incorrect method. Wojciech Szczesny didn’t actually have to reserve it, simply stay within the path of…

Read MoreCardiff turns into a theatre of pain and leaves Wales facing an empty summer | Wales

Poland and Swiderski consign Wales to Nations League relegation | Nations League

Wales’ World Cup send-off led to a 1-0 defeat to Poland and relegation from the Nations League’s prime tier. Karol Swiderski, simply as he had carried out when the 2 sides met in Wroclaw in June, got here up with a second-half winner to seal Wales’ demotion to League B. Wales wanted victory in Cardiff to safe their place within the prime flight of European soccer and relegate Poland to the second tier. However Poland stood agency after Swiderski’s strike and Wales couldn’t discover a method by, with Gareth Bale going the closest when heading in opposition to the crossbar in stoppage time. This was Wales’ closing sport earlier than their first at a World Cup for 64 years, their Qatar opener in opposition to the US approaching 21 November. Bale returned to the beginning line-up to win his 108th cap, only one in need of Chris Gunter’s males’s nationwide group report. Bale was a second-half substitute in Thursday’s 2-1 defeat to Belgium after arriving late on camp from America because of his enjoying commitments at Los Angeles FC. The 33-year-old accomplished his first 90 minutes for the reason that World Cup qualifier in opposition…

Read MorePoland and Swiderski consign Wales to Nations League relegation | Nations League

Gareth Bale and Wales focus on getting house in order before World Cup | Wales

When England exited Euro 2016 through an ignominious defeat to Iceland, Wales took nice delight of their distress, celebrating at their lodge base in Dinard. A video of the Wales squad leaping for pleasure and huddling collectively as England’s gamers fell to the ground like dominoes went viral. England’s relegation from the Nations League is incomparable and neither had been Wales, 67 days out from once they collide of their closing Group B match on the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, ever going to ponder a repeat of these scenes, which, it’s honest to say, acquired blended critiques. It’s 5 lengthy video games with out a win for England and 4 for Wales however the latter undeniably discover themselves in a great place earlier than internet hosting Poland on Sunday, inspired by a powerful second-half efficiency in Thursday’s defeat to Belgium, No 2 within the Fifa rankings. Then there may be the small matter of a visit to Qatar and a primary World Cup in 64 years on the horizon. Wales’ first Group B opponent, the USA, have additionally not satisfied of late and slipped to defeat to Japan on Friday however Gareth Bale shouldn’t be…

Read MoreGareth Bale and Wales focus on getting house in order before World Cup | Wales