Wales 1-0 Czech Republic
Wales picked up a first win of the World Cup 2022 qualifying campaign tonight as a late Dan James’ goal was enough to beat the Czech Republic at the Cardiff City Stadium.
This was a game the hosts really couldn’t afford to lose. The two sides are drawn together in a group with Belgium, and this was a chance to stake a claim for second place with a potential place in Qatar the prize. It turned out to be a feisty affair with both teams finishing with 10 men.
With four points in the bag, the Czechs were already up and running while Wales were looking for a first point. And though the visitors had been much better in the game, James’ header collected a crucial three points.
Of course, the World Cup 2022 updates will have been of great interest to the Belgium contingent as their team battered Belarus 8-0 in tonight’s other Group E clash.
Highlights of the game
The Czechs started well and Sampdoria’s Jakub Jankto fired two warning shots during the opening exchanges.
First, he received the ball on the edge of the penalty area and had time to set himself and shoot, but with Danny Ward beaten his shot flew inches wide. Then he burst through on the right side of the penalty area but smashed his shot into the side netting when he should really have tested Ward.
Gareth Bale had a great chance to put Wales ahead when he met a cross from Neco Williams but his shot was weak as Thomas Vaclik made a regulation save.
At the other end of the pitch, Jankto was a constant menace and Williams did well to block another effort. As the Czechs ramped up the pressure, Patrik Schick directed a free header wide.
The Czechs had the better of the first half but their task to complete the job was made much harder in the first action of the second half when Schick received his marching orders.
There was a fair amount of confusion surrounding the sending off but, as a Czech attack came to nothing, the Bayer Leverkusen forward seemed to raise his hands to Connor Roberts and the ref brandished his red card.
You’d think that may change the balance of play but the Czechs were having none of it. Vladimir Darida lobbed a ball over the top to Lukas Provod and he rounded the keeper, but James Lawrence slid in to clear the ball off the goal line.
Bale had a shot blocked by Tomas Soucek while, at the other end, Provod appealed hopefully for a penalty and Darida fired a decent chance over.
Any hopes of Wales taking advantage of their numerical advantage seemed to have disappeared on 78 minutes when Roberts was sent off for an elbow on Soucek. But 10 against 10 seemed to suit the Welsh better and they got their crucial goal when Bale crossed for James and he headed down into the ground and past Vaclik.
James’ header broke the deadlock but a last-minute block from Joe Rodon to deny Ondrej Celustka was just as important.
This was a big, big win for Wales.
Key statistics
In their opening game Wales were beaten by a Belgium team with far too much quality all around the pitch but the World Cup 2022 betting odds suggested a much tighter affair in Cardiff tonight. And so it was.
In the first half, the Czechs had the better of possession and attempts on goal, with eight shots to Wales’ two. The hosts came back into the game but the Czechs finished with 11 shots to Wales’ eight.
The win means Wales are unbeaten in 12 games at home while the Czechs have lost their unbeaten run of four.
What’s next?
There is more World Cup 2020 qualifying action for SBOTOP fans to look forward to tomorrow, when champions France play away to Bosnia and Herzegovina, while England host Poland who will be without their prolific scorer Robert Lewandowski.
Then Euro 2020 is getting closer folks; starting on the 11th June, it’s just 11 weeks away! Wales warm up for their appearance with a friendly against Albania on the 5th June then, a week later on Saturday 12th they have a testing tournament opener against Switzerland.
The Czech Republic have two warm-ups, one against Roberto Mancini’s rapidly improving Italy and then a follow-up against Albania, before opening their Euro campaign with a match against Scotland.
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