Wales vs Belgium, 2026 World Cup Qualifying - UEFA, Group Stage
· FIFA World Cup Qualifying - UEFADe Bruyne leads Belgium past Wales to top qualifying group
Wales' hopes of automatic World Cup qualification were dealt a blow as Kevin De Bruyne converted two penalties in Belgium's 4-2 win in Cardiff.
Match Commentary
- 0': Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
- 0': First Half begins.
- 3': Attempt blocked. Mark Harris (Wales) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Neco Williams.
- 3': Corner, Wales. Conceded by Zeno Debast.
- 4': Foul by Charles De Ketelaere (Belgium).
- 4': Harry Wilson (Wales) wins a free kick on the right wing.
- 5': Attempt missed. Ben Cabango (Wales) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Sorba Thomas with a cross following a set piece situation.
- 5': Corner, Wales. Conceded by Maxim De Cuyper.
- 7': Corner, Wales. Conceded by Zeno Debast.
- 8': Goal! Wales 1, Belgium 0. Joe Rodon (Wales) header from very close range to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Sorba Thomas with a cross following a corner.
- 12': Ethan Ampadu (Wales) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 12': Foul by Amadou Onana (Belgium).
- 13': Arthur Theate (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 13': Foul by Harry Wilson (Wales).
- 13': Harry Wilson (Wales) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
- 15': Penalty conceded by Ethan Ampadu (Wales) with a handball in the penalty area.
- 17': VAR Decision: Penalty Belgium.
- 18': Goal! Wales 1, Belgium 1. Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom left corner.
- 19': Amadou Onana (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 19': Foul by Mark Harris (Wales).
- 21': Corner, Wales. Conceded by Thomas Meunier.
- 23': Attempt saved. Charles De Ketelaere (Belgium) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is saved in the bottom right corner by Karl Darlow (Wales). Assisted by Amadou Onana.
- 24': Goal! Wales 1, Belgium 2. Thomas Meunier (Belgium) right footed shot from the right side of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Jérémy Doku.
- 26': Foul by Neco Williams (Wales).
- 26': Leandro Trossard (Belgium) wins a free kick on the left wing.
- 27': Attempt missed. Arthur Theate (Belgium) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is close, but misses the top right corner following a set piece situation.
- 30': Attempt blocked. Leandro Trossard (Belgium) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jérémy Doku.
- 30': Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Joe Rodon.
- 31': Attempt blocked. Amadou Onana (Belgium) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne with a cross.
- 34': Attempt missed. Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Jérémy Doku.
- 35': Attempt missed. Maxim De Cuyper (Belgium) left footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses the top left corner. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne.
- 36': Foul by Arthur Theate (Belgium).
- 36': Harry Wilson (Wales) wins a free kick on the right wing.
- 40': Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Harry Wilson.
- 40': Attempt blocked. Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
- 40': Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Harry Wilson.
- 41': Offside, Belgium. Maxim De Cuyper is caught offside.
- 43': Foul by Ethan Ampadu (Wales).
- 43': Nicolas Raskin (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 44': Attempt saved. Jordan James (Wales) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner by Thibaut Courtois (Belgium). Assisted by Sorba Thomas.
- 44': Attempt missed. Harry Wilson (Wales) left footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Ethan Ampadu.
- 45': Fourth official has announced 3 minutes of added time.
- 45'+3': First Half ends, Wales 1, Belgium 2.
- 45': Second Half begins Wales 1, Belgium 2.
- 47': Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Neco Williams.
- 48': Attempt missed. Jérémy Doku (Belgium) left footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Charles De Ketelaere following a corner.
- 50': Attempt missed. Charles De Ketelaere (Belgium) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Amadou Onana.
- 51': Foul by Ben Davies (Wales).
- 51': Jérémy Doku (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 51': Ben Davies (Wales) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
- 52': Handball by Nicolas Raskin (Belgium).
- 56': Attempt blocked. Mark Harris (Wales) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Jordan James.
- 56': Corner, Wales. Conceded by Jérémy Doku.
- 58': Substitution, Wales. Brennan Johnson replaces David Brooks.
- 59': Amadou Onana (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- 59': Foul by Jordan James (Wales).
- 60': Substitution, Belgium. Timothy Castagne replaces Maxim De Cuyper.
- 61': Foul by Ethan Ampadu (Wales).
- 61': Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium) wins a free kick on the right wing.
- 64': Thomas Meunier (Belgium) is shown the yellow card.
- 65': Delay in match because of an injury Nicolas Raskin (Belgium).
- 66': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
- 69': Attempt saved. Jérémy Doku (Belgium) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal by Karl Darlow (Wales). Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne.
- 70': Substitution, Belgium. Hans Vanaken replaces Amadou Onana.
- 70': Delay in match because of an injury Ben Davies (Wales).
- 71': Substitution, Wales. Nathan Broadhead replaces Ben Davies because of an injury.
- 71': Delay over. They are ready to continue.
- 74': Penalty conceded by Jordan James (Wales) with a handball in the penalty area.
- 76': Goal! Wales 1, Belgium 3. Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom right corner.
- 78': Attempt missed. Jérémy Doku (Belgium) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Thomas Meunier.
- 79': Foul by Arthur Theate (Belgium).
- 79': Harry Wilson (Wales) wins a free kick on the right wing.
- 80': Attempt missed. Mark Harris (Wales) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Sorba Thomas with a cross.
- 81': Substitution, Belgium. Malick Fofana replaces Charles De Ketelaere.
- 81': Substitution, Belgium. Axel Witsel replaces Kevin De Bruyne.
- 81': Substitution, Belgium. Brandon Mechele replaces Arthur Theate because of an injury.
- 82': Handball by Ben Cabango (Wales).
- 83': Attempt blocked. Malick Fofana (Belgium) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
- 86': Corner, Wales. Conceded by Timothy Castagne.
- 86': Substitution, Wales. Kieffer Moore replaces Jordan James.
- 86': Substitution, Wales. Jay Dasilva replaces Mark Harris.
- 89': Goal! Wales 2, Belgium 3. Nathan Broadhead (Wales) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Kieffer Moore.
- 90': Goal! Wales 2, Belgium 4. Leandro Trossard (Belgium) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Timothy Castagne.
- 90': Fourth official has announced 7 minutes of added time.
- 90'+3': Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Joe Rodon.
- 90'+8': Foul by Brandon Mechele (Belgium).
- 90'+8': Harry Wilson (Wales) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
- 90'+9': Attempt blocked. Sorba Thomas (Wales) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Harry Wilson.
- 90'+9': Corner, Wales. Conceded by Nicolas Raskin.
- 90'+9': Second Half ends, Wales 2, Belgium 4.
- 0': Match ends, Wales 2, Belgium 4.
Statistics
 BEL |
WAL |
|
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Fouls | 10 |
| 1 | Yellow Cards | 2 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
| 1 | Offsides | 0 |
| 5 | Corner Kicks | 7 |
| 1 | Saves | 2 |
| 38.2 | Possession | 61.8 |
| 16 | SHOTS | 9 |
| 6 | ON GOAL | 3 |
| 0.4 | On Target % | 0.3 |
| 2 | Penalty Goals | 0 |
| 2 | Penalty Kicks Taken | 0 |
| 242 | Accurate Passes | 412 |
| 313 | Passes | 491 |
| 0.8 | Pass Completion % | 0.8 |
| 3 | Accurate Crosses | 8 |
| 9 | Crosses | 26 |
| 0.3 | Cross % | 0.3 |
| 58 | Long Balls | 41 |
| 27 | Accurate Long Balls | 10 |
| 0.5 | Long Balls % | 0.2 |
| 4 | Blocked Shots | 3 |
| 9 | Effective Tackles | 13 |
| 12 | Tackles | 18 |
| 0.8 | Tackle % | 0.7 |
| 5 | Interceptions | 4 |
| 35 | Effective Clearances | 18 |
| 35 | Clearances | 18 |
Game Information
Competition: FIFA World Cup Qualifying - UEFA
Venue: Cardiff City Stadium
Location: Cardiff, Wales
Attendance: 32,803
Venue: Cardiff City Stadium
Location: Cardiff, Wales
Attendance: 32,803
WCQ - UEFA Standings
| # | TEAM | GP | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belgium | 6 | +15 | 14 |
| 2 | North Macedonia | 7 | +9 | 13 |
| 3 | Wales | 6 | +3 | 10 |
| 4 | Kazakhstan | 7 | -4 | 7 |
Line-Ups
Wales (4-2-3-1)
| No. | Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | Karl Darlow (GK) |
| 16 | Ben Cabango |
| 6 | Joe Rodon |
| 4 | Ben Davies  |
| 3 | Neco Williams |
| 8 | Harry Wilson |
| 17 | Jordan James |
| 5 | Ethan Ampadu |
| 18 | Mark Harris |
| 19 | Sorba Thomas |
| 7 | David Brooks |
Belgium (4-2-3-1)
| No. | Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | Thibaut Courtois (GK) |
| 3 | Arthur Theate |
| 2 | Zeno Debast |
| 5 | Maxim De Cuyper |
| 15 | Thomas Meunier |
| 7 | Kevin De Bruyne |
| 8 | Nicolas Raskin |
| 18 | Amadou Onana |
| 17 | Charles De Ketelaere |
| 10 | Leandro Trossard |
| 11 | Jérémy Doku |
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