Wales qualified for the World Cup in Qatar

Lenin BoscaneyFollow

Jun 8, 20223 min de lectura

This Sunday the playoff match was held for qualification for the Qatar World Cup and this time it was between Wales and Ukraine at Cardiff City Stadium. Only one of them was going to qualify and it was achieved by the team led by Robert Page, who achieved the position with a goal after 64 years.

Ukraine had finished second in the group, behind France. He did not lose any game, but with six draws he achieved that position. The semifinal match was postponed due to the war, but last Wednesday, June 1, they faced Scotland and won with a score of 1-3 and only had this match against Wales left to get the pass to Qatar.

For their part, Wales also reached second place in their group, behind Belgium. Gareth Bale's team beat Austria in the semi-finals and awaited their rival in the match between Scotland and Ukraine. It should be noted that Ukraine and Wales have only met three times, of which there are two draws and one victory for the Ukrainians.

The match would start in Cardiff with the dominance and pressure of the visitors who would quickly get a dangerous free kick and Zinchenko took the lead scoring the first, but the referee invalidated the play because he had not authorized the free kick.

At minute 11, Yaremchuk arrived in the local area and took a powerful shot to the near post, but goalkeeper Hennessey would stop the shot. This would be the beginning of several saves that would make him a figure of the match and decisive for the final result.

In the next few minutes there would be plays from both teams, trying to dominate the ball and produce dangerous actions in the rival area, but it would be at 29 'when Zinchenko, from the edge, would take a shot that the Welsh goalkeeper stopped again.

However, at minute 33', Gareth Bale takes a free kick from a distance from the area. The Real Madrid player sent in a cross, but Yarmolenko deflected it with a header to score the only goal of the match with his own goal. This is how the first half would end with that score, a penalty was almost scored in favor of Ukraine, but the VAR did not validate the maximum penalty.

Starting the second half, Wales would have a clear opportunity in a counterattack directed by Williams and he passed it to Moore to take a cross into the area and Ramsey finished off, but the ball went wide in the 48th minute.

However, Ukraine would continue to attack. At 55', Tsygankov would reach the area and take a good shot, but Hennessey saves again and this time with his foot.

At 74' and 75', Wales would have two clear chances. First, a cross was sent to the far post that Johnson ended up hitting the post and then Bale decides to launch a shot from the left, but the goalkeeper Bushcha stops low without problems.

Then, at minute 83', the Ukrainians would attack again. Dovbyk takes a shot and, again, Hennessey avoids the tie. The visitors would continue to try, but time would run out and Wales would qualify for the World Cup in Qatar 64 years later.

Wales will face England, Iran and the United States in Group B. Currently, those led by Robert Page are ranked 18th in the FIFA ranking, while Ukraine is 27th.