Wales saved their best until last and head into the World Cup playoffs on the back of an emphatic demolition of North Macedonia that guarantees Craig Bellamy’s team a home semi-final next March. Opponents will be rightly apprehensive of visiting Cardiff on this evidence.
Bellamy’s depleted side were superb as they routed the previously unbeaten and previously second-placed team in Group J courtesy of a Harry Wilson hat-trick plus flashes of brilliance from Brennan Johnson and Dan James. Wales knew they had a place in the playoffs courtesy of winning their Nations League group but, stepping up when it mattered most, they ensured the more favourable route towards the next World Cup.
It was a proud night on an individual level for Wilson who returned from suspension to captain his country for the first time. The Fulham playmaker led by scintillating example, although his captaincy underlined the selection shortage that confronted Bellamy with regular options Ben Davies and Aaron Ramsey injured, along with Kieffer Moore and Danny Ward, and Ethan Ampadu suspended.
Late bookings in Liechtenstein for Ampadu and the match-winner Jordan James had deprived Wales of their first choice central midfield. A lengthy absentee list could have proven costly. Bellamy’s brave response, Welsh adventure and the Premier League quality of Johnson, David Brooks, James, Wilson and Neco Williams ensured it barely registered. One punished lapse aside, Wales dominated the first half superbly. A 3-1 interval lead was a merited reward for a positive, assured team performance and Bellamy’s decision to flood his forward line while deploying Joshua Sheehan as a lone holding midfielder.
Wales went at North Macedonia from the off. Brooks acrobatically volleyed over with only 92 seconds gone following a surging run into the penalty area by Johnson. Moments later Gjoko Zajkov made a vital interception to prevent a dangerous cross from James reaching Wilson in front of goal. The tone was set.
James was at the heart of Wales’ fine start and released Brooks inside the penalty area with a beautifully weighted pass from the right. The Bournemouth winger appeared to be clipped from behind by Andrej Stojchevski and the Dutch referee, Danny Makkelie, immediately pointed to the spot. It looked a clear penalty in real time, debatable after numerous replays with Brooks appearing to catch his own feet. Few inside the Cardiff City Stadium cared. The penalty stood and Wilson drove the spot-kick past Stole Dimitrievski’s left hand into the bottom corner.
Bellamy’s side maintained the intensity and doubled their lead within three minutes. Jay Dasilva released Brennan down the left and the Tottenham forward swept a first -time cross into the heart of the area for Brooks to steer an excellent finish beyond Dimitrievski. Brooks’ effort, into the ground and over the keeper’s grasp, took a slight deflection off Stojchevski but was a difficult attempt made to look routine.
Wales were in dreamland, and abruptly brought back down to earth when North Macedonia reduced the deficit far too easily. Darko Velkovski, advancing out of central defence, stepped around Wilson and Brooks inside his own half before splitting the Welsh defence with a pass into Bojan Miovski. As the visiting striker ran through on goal Karl Darlow slipped on a surface dampened by the Cardiff rain. Miovski’s low finish met no resistance as it sailed past the Leeds’ keeper.
North Macedonia’s consolation ultimately flattered them. Wales’ reaction saw to that. Johnson and Joe Rodon were both denied by defensive blocks inside the area. Wilson slipped in Williams brilliantly but the Nottingham Forest full-back’s effort was tipped on to a post by Dimitrievski. A stunning effort from Johnson restored the hosts’ two-goal advantage before the break, however. Receiving Dasilva’s pass out on the left, he exploded between three white shirts on the corner of the area to beat the visiting keeper with an angled drive into the top corner. A minor touch off Tihomir Kostadinov en route did not diminish the quality of the strike.
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Number four arrived courtesy of a flowing team move that encapsulated the confidence soaring through the Wales ranks. It started in defence and contained several one-touch passes before Brooks found himself with space to run at the North Macedonian backline. Brooks dinked a pass into Wilson. Wilson met it with a delightful back-heel into James and he polished his evening’s excellent work with a clinical finish.
Wilson was not finished there. Having been tripped 25 yards from goal, the Wales captain for the night swept the resulting free-kick high into the North Macedonia goal from a difficult angle. Another superb strike. Wilson was also fouled for the late penalty that sealed the rout after showing neat footwork to bamboozle the visiting defence.
The 28-year-old completed his hat-trick by sending Dimitrievski the wrong way from the penalty spot and Wales the right way into the playoffs. Nathan Broadhead added a seventh when tapping in from fellow substitute Isaak Davies’ header.
