Key events
The ever-dependable Ben Davies earns his 100th international cap for Wales, just the fourth male player to do so after Gareth Bale, Chris Gunter and Wayne Hennessey. Here’s Ben Fisher on ‘Mr Consistency’.
Team news!
Brennan Johnson and Kieffer Moore on the Wales bench!
Wales: Darlow, Williams, Rodon, Cabango, Ben Davies, Ampadu,
Jordan James, Brooks, Wilson, Thomas, Harris.
Subs: King, Adam Davies, Mepham, Koumas, Cullen, Johnson, Moore, Rubin Colwill, Dasilva, Kpakio, Sheehan, Broadhead.
Belgium: Courtois, Meunier, Debast, Theate, De Cuyper, Raskin, Onana, Doku, De Bruyne, Trossard, De Ketelaere.
Subs: Lammens, Sels, Mechele, Witsel, Openda, Lukebakio, De Winter, Fofana, Vanaken, Castagne, Seys, Batshuayi.
Referee: Daniel Siebert (Germany)
Preamble
As Jimothy Lacoste once nearly declared: “Life in Group J is getting quite exciting”. This is the current state of play before Monday’s crucial qualifiers.
Despite their most recognisable player being Eljif Elmas – who has started just once for Napoli this season – North Macedonia held Belgium to a goalless draw on Friday night in Ghent despite the Balkan country having just 21% possession and three shots to Belgium’s 25.
The result has thrown Group J wide open. Should Wales beat Belgium this evening, as well as minnows Liechtenstein and North Macedonia next month, they will qualify for the World Cup for just the third time in their history. It’s really that simple.
With Kevin De Bruyne, Jérémy Doku and Thibaut Courtois among the visitors, nobody is pretending that Wales’ task is an easy one. But As Jimothy Lacoste once nearly declared “Life [in Group J] is getting quite exciting”. This is the current state of play before Monday’s crucial qualifiers.
Despite their most recognisable player being Eljif Elmas – who has started just once for Napoli this season – North Macedonia held Belgium to a goalless draw on Friday night in Ghent despite the Balkan country having just 21% possession and three shots to Belgium’s 25.
The result has thrown Group J wide open. Should Wales beat Belgium this evening, as well as minnows Liechtenstein and North Macedonia next month, they will qualify for the World Cup for just the third time in their history. It’s really that simple.
With Kevin De Bruyne, Jérémy Doku and Thibaut Courtois among the visitors, nobody is pretending that Wales’ task is an easy one. But Craig Bellamy has been in bullish mood before Monday’s game.
Players have been in this situation so many times over the last 10 years, especially Cardiff nights. The crowd are used to these moments. When we’ve managed to qualify it’s been here. I didn’t get to experience that [as a player] – usually at this stage I was out of the group – so it’s nice to be able to get to three games left and a huge game on Monday that if we win, it’s a nice start to the remaining games.
Kick-off: 7.45pm BST.
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