Craig Bellamy predicted a sleepless night after Wales fell at the penultimate hurdle of World Cup qualification, losing a penalty shootout to Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff. The head coach admitted his heart hurt as the magnitude of the near-miss set in, with Bosnia now set to face Italy for a place at this summer's tournament.
Wales had led 1-0 through a first-half goal before Edin Dzeko equalised with an 86th-minute header from a corner, conceded after a panicked clearance. The game went to extra time and eventually penalties, where Brennan Johnson and Neco Williams missed from the spot as Bosnia prevailed. Bellamy acknowledged the collective struggle to see out the win. 'We stopped playing,' he said. 'We can't stop playing. It is a big lesson for us.'
Bellamy has breathed new life into the squad since taking over, but this defeat carries consequences beyond the immediate disappointment. Qualification would have brought millions in revenue for the Football Association of Wales, accelerating infrastructure and grassroots development. 'We will keep progressing but money helps,' Bellamy said. 'We have seen what tournaments have allowed us to do.'
The match turned after Daniel James and David Brooks were withdrawn, replaced by substitutes Mark Harris and Liam Cullen, who are not regulars at Championship clubs Oxford United and Swansea City respectively. Yet Cullen created Wales's best chance in extra time, only for Tarik Muharemovic to block Harry Wilson's goal-bound shot. Bellamy noted Bosnia 'are drilled for chaos and we allowed chaos to creep in for 20 minutes'.
James, one of four Leeds United players in the starting lineup, insisted Wales should take heart. 'Anyone watching will see how far we've come,' he said. 'We've got so much more to show. We'll be back.' Bellamy, who does not believe in superstition, defended his penalty preparation: 'All you can ever do is prepare the best you can. I don't believe in luck on pens.' Wales had practised spot-kicks all week, and goalkeeper Karl Darlow saved Bosnia's first effort, but it was not enough.
