Wales suffered penalty shootout heartbreak for the second time in two years as Bosnia and Herzegovina won 4-2 on spot-kicks to end their hopes of reaching this summer's World Cup. The match at Cardiff City Stadium went to extra time after a 1-1 draw, with Brennan Johnson and Neco Williams missing Wales's penalties.
Daniel James had put Wales ahead seven minutes into the second half with a stunning strike from 25 yards, but Edin Dzeko equalised with a glancing header from a corner to force extra time. Wales thought they had regained the lead when Harry Wilson's shot was blocked by a preposterous headed block from Tarik Muharemovic.
The game ultimately came down to penalties, with substitute Kerim Alajbegovic scoring the decisive spot-kick. Wales head coach Craig Bellamy refused to accept the 'hard-luck Wales' narrative, saying: 'We expect to be at major tournaments, we really push ourselves to be there. I'm definitely proud, but disappointed we weren't able to make it to back-to-back World Cups.'
Wales now face a dead rubber against Northern Ireland on Tuesday, while Bosnia host Italy for a place in the finals. The result leaves Wales's World Cup dream in tatters, with the sobering reality of another near-miss for the nation.
