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COLEMAN’S WALES ON THE BRINK OF HISTORY
Chris Coleman’s Wales are just one win away from securing their passage to a first major tournament since 1958.
After a memorable night in Nicosia, 4,000 Wales fans saw their side cement their place at the top of Group B after a hard-fought 1-0 win. It was by no means a comfortable night for the Dragons – Cyprus had plenty of the ball, they put some dangerous crosses into the Welsh area and they had a good few attempts on goal.
However, the script was already written for one man to stand up and deliver, and that man was inevitably Gareth Bale. The Real Madrid star’s expertly taken header with just eight minutes remaining, was enough to secure the win and put Coleman’s side within touching distance of Euro 2016.
The Welsh faithful have had to wait an extremely long time to see a Wales side in a major tournament. In fact, you have to go back 57 years since the last time. Even then they didn’t qualify without a little help elsewhere – Wales had a pass through to the 1958 World Cup due to ongoing politics in the Middle East.
Nonetheless, after excellent victories in Cyprus, Israel and Andorra, as well as memorable wins at home to Belgium and Cyprus, Wales have well and truly earned to be in the position they’re in at present.
However, despite Chris Coleman telling the Wales supporters they can now “get carried away”, the job isn’t quite done and dusted just yet. If the unthinkable does happen and Wales do get beat by Israel this weekend, then it blows the group wide open again.
Wales, who are now ranked 9th in the FIFA World Rankings, will be extremely confident of getting the job done in front of a ferocious and very loud Cardiff City Stadium on Sunday. Coleman admitted that the influential Joe Ledley will be a major doubt, but he did reveal that West Bromwich Albion defender James Chester has every chance of being fit.
When Wales met Israel at the Sammy Ofer Stadium in March, prior to kick off Israel topped the group after securing three wins from their first three qualifiers. Despite that, the Dragons put on a masterclass in Haifa, and goals from Aaron Ramsey and a Gareth Bale brace earned Wales a stunning 3-0 victory.
I think it’s fair to say that previous Wales sides have either been extremely woeful or terribly unlucky. In the past we’ve seen Wales full of expectation and optimism going into a tournament, only to have their hopes dashed almost immediately.
On the other hand, there’s been times where they’ve been very unlucky. Who remembers Mark Hughes’ brave Dragons who took Russia all the way in a Euro 2004 play-off? Or Paul Bodin’s penalty miss that would have sent Wales to USA 94?
Nevertheless, there’s something special about this group of Welsh players. With the likes of Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey, Joe Allen, Joe Ledley and Ashley Williams, Wales are certainly in their golden era, and they finally look like they’re ready to deliver.
If Wales approach Sunday’s match with Israel the same way they have with every other qualifying game, then they no doubt should have enough to get the win and qualify for France next year. Like I said, the Welsh faithful have been made to wait far too long for this, and it’s now the players’ duty to give them what they so desperately want.
