Craig Bellamy cited Nostradamus in the buildup, advising to expect the unexpected given the 4-3 thriller that unfolded the last time these nations met. But while Wales gave Belgium an early fright, two Kevin De Bruyne penalties and a Thomas Meunier strike paved the way to a comeback victory that all but quashes their hopes of automatically qualifying for the World Cup.
Nathan Broadhead, on as a substitute, pulled a goal back but almost immediately Leandro Trossard struck to cap a victory this time featuring just the six goals. Joe Rodon headed in to give Wales a welcome leg up but Belgium stirred to maintain their pristine qualifying record; their last defeat in a qualifier here in June 2015, when Gareth Bale scored to propel Wales towards Euro 2016. Wales will likely have to do it the hard way if they are to reach North America next summer.
For Wales, it was a galling rollercoaster of an evening and, as Bellamy acknowledged, they have now breached the Belgium defence five times across two matches with nothing to show for it. “That’s hard to take,” said the Wales manager. “I honestly love playing these top teams because your heart is in your mouth at times, you’re really living on the edge.”
For many supporters, the topic of conversation upon departure centred on not another historic night in Cardiff but the sight of Brennan Johnson coaxing a rat off the pitch after Thibaut Courtois failed to get to grips with the invader.
Bellamy demanded an intensity from his side to match the electricity in the stands. This stadium played the hits pre-match: Yma o Hyd, Zombie Nation, a light show to boot. The players emerged to a giant banner strewn across the Canton Stand: “Tan Yn Eu Gwaed (Fire in their Blood), Welshmen will not yield.”
There was a typically rousing anthem, too, for which the captain Ben Davies – on his 100th cap – stood with his eldest son by his side and his youngest resting over his left shoulder. Davies applied his game face, though his eyes appeared watery. Who could blame him?
Wales arrived to the pitch turbocharged, Bellamy applauding as Mark Harris, the Oxford striker preferred to Johnson, who entered approaching the hour, forced Zeno Debast into a panicked clearance inside two and a half minutes. Wales were everything they were not in the opening stages at Wembley last Thursday and they led inside eight minutes, an unmarked Rodon heading in a delicious Sorba Thomas corner, their third in relatively quick succession. Rodon rushed off in celebration, his rusty knee slide leaving him on his backside, every outfield player joining the party.
For seven minutes, Wales were in dreamland – until the German referee, Daniel Siebert, headed to the VAR monitor, to take a look at a potential handball by Ethan Ampadu. A communal groan followed the initial hush and then Siebert pointed to the penalty spot. Ampadu was penalised for his right hand halting Charles De Ketelaere’s dink and a couple of minutes later De Bruyne sent Karl Darlow the wrong way from 12 yards.
Bellamy was booked for his explicit protestations and will subsequently serve a touchline ban in Liechtenstein next month. Suddenly the place was deflated and Belgium breezed through the gears, chiefly Jérémy Doku. Trossard punched a diagonal pass out towards the right flank and while Wales considered it a lost cause, Doku did not and retrieved the ball from close to the corner flag. The Manchester City winger gobbled up about 40 yards of turf but that was nothing compared to Meunier, who flew forward from inside his own half to send a first-time finish zooming past Darlow. From there things threatened to unravel, Rodon preventing Trossard from a near-certain third goal and then De Bruyne blasted over after Doku left Ben Cabango in a heap.
But Bellamy preaches positivity and there were a couple of nuggets approaching half-time, Jordan James forcing Courtois into a save before Harry Wilson shot wide after latching on to Ampadu’s clever reverse pass.
Doku, however, kept chipping away at Wales’s confidence to mount a comeback. He proved virtually unstoppable in Brussels in June and was a constant menace again here. His next magic trick? Slipping the ball through the legs of Davies, who had James with him in support, and racing to the byline to fashion another chance. Doku wasted a chance to establish some breathing space in the 69th minute, sending a shot too close to a grateful Darlow when looking for the far corner.
Davies was forced off through injury a minute later and just as it seemed Wales had settled, De Bruyne was standing over another spot-kick with 15 minutes of regular time to play. Trossard found himself cornered by red shirts, but James made a brainless decision to intercept the ball with his right arm. De Bruyne dispatched another penalty low, this time into the opposite corner.
