Wales suffered a penalty shoot-out defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff to finish their 2026 World Cup desires.
Brennan Johnson and Neco Williams each missed within the shootout as Kerim Alajbegovic’s successful spot-kick noticed Bosnia arrange a house World Cup play-off last in opposition to Italy on Tuesday.
Wales’ play-off semi-final heartbreak means they miss out on qualifying for back-to-back World Cups.
Edin Dzeko’s late header pressured further time after Dan James had stunningly volleyed Wales forward early within the second half.
Craig Bellamy’s facet will return to Cardiff on Tuesday to face Northern Eire, who have been defeated by Italy of their play-off semi-final, in a pleasant.
Wales won’t be going to the 2026 World Cup
Wales will really feel they need to be internet hosting Italy on Tuesday for a spot on the World Cup, having been 4 minutes from reserving a play-off last in opposition to the four-time winners.
Harry Wilson appeared like breaking the impasse on the Cardiff Metropolis Stadium as he struck the put up and compelled a save from a free-kick with Wales’ solely shot heading in the right direction of the primary half in opposition to a bodily Bosnia facet.
Wales’ Harry Wilson exhibits his disappointment
However it was James who delivered the breakthrough six minutes into the second half with an excellent volleyed strike from round 25 yards.
The Leeds winger latched onto a free ball and caught Bosnia goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj out with a strong shot to offer Wales the lead.
An end-to-end encounter then ensued as James hit the bar with a deflected shot, earlier than Wales goalkeeper Karl Darlow made a wonderful cease to one way or the other claw out Ermedin Demirovic’s header at his close to put up.
However Darlow couldn’t hold out Dzeko’s header because the 40-year-old Bosnia captain rose highest at a nook to equalise within the 86th minute for his 73rd nationwide workforce purpose.
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Edin Dzeko scored their equaliser
The ex-Manchester Metropolis striker was then concerned in a touchline conflict with Bellamy in further time, which noticed Dzeko booked.
Neither facet might discover a winner in further time, with Wilson lacking the most effective likelihood, taking the tie to penalties, the place Bosnia prevailed in a merciless repeat of Wales’ Euro 2024 play-off exit.
James: Loss ‘actually powerful to take’
Wales’ Daniel James celebrates scoring their first purpose
Wales’ Dan James on the defeat:
“Really tough to take. I think we played incredibly tonight. It was unfortunate for them to score late, and then I thought after extra time that we were the only team that was going to go on to win it.
“It was a credit score to ourselves, we have come thus far, and it simply wasn’t meant to be tonight.
“I think we were unfortunate not to get a second. We had chances, I hit the bar, and it just didn’t go in, giving them that little bit of chance and confidence to try and get a goal and equalise, and that’s what they did.
“Credit score to us for going to further time and dominating the sport, we created plenty of probabilities, but it surely goes to penalties, and that is how it’s.”
‘This may damage’
Williams noticed his spot-kick saved
Sky Sports activities Information Geraint Hughes on the Cardiff Metropolis Stadium:
“Oh my word, it’s happened again to Wales.
“Precisely two years in the past to the very day, they misplaced a shootout in opposition to Poland to overlook out on qualifying for Euro 2024. The penalty curse has struck twice.
“What a contrast at full-time, with the Bosnian players in one corner of the stadium celebrating widely while every Wales player and member of the backroom staff are in a huddle with Craig Bellamy in the middle of it. He’s pacing around and talking to them, clearly with passion.
“This may damage.”
