Wales manager Rob Page has rallied behind Daniel James after the winger missed the decisive penalty in a crushing shootout defeat to Poland, ending Wales' hopes of qualifying for Euro 2024. The match at Cardiff City Stadium ended 0-0 after extra time, with Poland winning 5-4 on penalties after James' spot-kick was saved by Wojciech Szczesny.
Page praised his players for their effort and expressed pride in James for having the 'bravery' to take the penalty. 'It's a cruel game and that's what I just said to the players. One kick away from qualifying and it hurts,' a visibly emotional Page told S4C after the match. 'We'll rally around Dan, he had the bravery to take that penalty and I am just so, so proud of that group.'
Wales had entered the playoff final with confidence after thrashing Finland 4-1 in the semi-final, but could not break down a resilient Polish defence. Page believed his side were the better team and made tactical changes, including bringing on David Brooks despite illness, to try to secure victory.
Despite the disappointment, Page is confident the young squad will grow from the experience. 'The nation should be proud of them because they've put in a shift, and some, tonight to try to get us there,' he added. 'We're disappointed but we'll be bigger and stronger from having gone through this horrible, horrible experience.'
The defeat means Wales miss out on a third successive European Championship, while Poland qualify for their fifth consecutive tournament. Page urged fans to stay optimistic, saying: 'This team is going somewhere. They're so disappointed that they've not qualified, they're hungry for it and we were nearly there tonight. There's a lot more to come and a lot of good times ahead.'
