Wales knock out Ukraine and qualify for the World Cup

Wales 1-0 Ukraine

Goal: Yarmolenko (34^mecsc) for the Welsh

64 years later, Wales will rediscover the pleasure of playing in a World Cup. 64 years after their 1-0 defeat by Pelé in the quarter-finals against the future Brazilian winner, the Welsh will finally be able to sing land of my parents before a World Cup match. For that they have had to release very good Ukrainians this Sunday in Cardiff. Even more convincing and attractive in the game, the Ukrainian team faced an excellent Hennessey. The goalkeeper was, in fact, the big man in this classification. With Gareth Bale, of course, behind the goal.

Gareth Bale, of course

Contrary to what they did last Wednesday in Glasgow, the Ukrainians took direct control of the match and did not allow themselves to be cornered. On the contrary, they are the ones who exert pressure. Zinchenko, for example, competes in wits by taking a long free kick into Hennessey’s goal when no one is ready. Not even the referee, who had not blown his whistle and therefore annulled the audacity of the Manchester City player (3^me). But the scene is set, and the Zbirna it will go copiously into your opponent’s bacon. Finally, rather in Hennessey’s. Because the Welsh goalkeeper, who is requested in a blocked and vicious shot (9^me), beat Yaremchuk (12^me). The visitors clearly dominate his theme and Karavaev, lacking his recovery in the area, cannot reward this good start (22^me).

???? Wales does his #FIFA World Cup returns for the first time since 1958! #WCQ | @cymru pic.twitter.com/KB1kml4LLK

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 5, 2022

Finally, the tone of this early game is summed up by Zinchenko: the Manchester City player scratches a ball at Allen’s feet, but his heavy shot is repelled by Hennessey, the hitherto Welshman. However, the man that the whole country is waiting for will be put in the spotlight: discreet as if he played for Real, Gareth Bale takes a free kick from 30 meters whose unspectacular trajectory pushes Yarmolenko to clear with his head. Nice try, but he actually fools his own goalkeeper and allows Cardiff to blow up in the rain (1-0, 34^me). UEFA rightly decides to grant the goal to the Ukrainian. Still, the Welsh give all the credit to their star, for what could have been his last game.

Hennessey’s bottle

Already better at the end of the first half, the Dragons tackle the second act in the same dynamic. Daniel James throws to a Moore who hits with his back to Ramsey, but the Glasgow Rangers player misses completely (48^me). Which does not cool the locals who continue to push, until Yarmolenko finds a good turn towards Mykolenko on the left that crosses very low to the ground for Tsygankov. Again, Hennessey pushes back at the feet of Yaremchuk, who is unable to frame (55^me). From there the Welsh fell back and cleared as best they could. Ukrainian transmissions are no longer as licked as in the first half. In general, the pace drops. Until the occasion of Johnson, who found the post after a center from the right (75^me). In the sequel, it was above all Gareth Bale – absolutely alone in the box – who ran into Bushchan and who missed the opportunity to seal the fate of this encounter (76^me). Yarmolenko isn’t far from making him immediately guilty, but Hennessey still has the house (77^me). Proof of this extraordinary parade, in a point-blank header by Dovbyk (84^me). the Zbirna No matter how hard he pushed, he couldn’t match and let Wales take this last European ticket to the World Cup. Great game, great joy and great disappointment.

Wales (4-4-2): Hennessey-Roberts, Davies, Rodon, Williams (Norrington-Davies, 90+3^me) – Ampadu, Ramsey, Allen, James (Johnson, 71^me)-Moore, Bale (Wilson, 83^me). Coach: Robert Page.

Ukraine (4-3-3): Bushchan – Karavaev, Zabarnyi, Matvlienko, Mykolenko – Stepanenko (Sydorchuk, 70^me), Malinovsky (Shaparenko, 70^me), Zinchenko-Yarmolenko, Tsygankov (Mudryk, 77^me), Yaremchuk (Dovbyk, 77^me). Coach: Oleksandr Petrakov.

By Leo Mob