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| Brennan Johnson of Wales scores their team’s first goal during the UEFA Nations League League A Group 4 match between Wales and Belgium at Cardiff City Stadium on June 11, 2022 in Cardiff, Wales. |
Brennan Johnson’s
first international goal earned Wales a dramatic point against Belgium in the
Nations League at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Ethan Ampadu
thought he had given Wales the lead early on when he fired an effort into the
top corner, only for VAR to rule an offside in the build-up.
Belgium missed a
number of first-half chances, but finally broke the deadlock when Youri
Tielemans’ calm effort into the bottom right corner beat the returning Wayne
Hennessey.
Rob Page turned to
his bench for a spark, and found it in Johnson and Rubin Colwill, who injected
a new lease of life in Wales.
And the Nottingham
Forest winger was on hand to calmly roll home Wales’ equaliser with five
minutes remaining after a beautiful assist from Aaron Ramsey.
The linesman
initially ruled the goal offside, but this time VAR was on Wales’ side, as
Johnson was adjudged to be just onside.
The draw is a first
point in the top tier of the Nations League for Wales, who suffered defeats by
Poland and the Netherlands previously.
Wales started the
brightest and thought they had taken the lead after five minutes.
Neco Williams’
cross to Joe Rodon eventually fell to Ampadu on the edge of the area, who
hammered the ball into the top corner – only for VAR to correctly rule the goal
out for offside.
Belgium threatened
next, Leicester City midfielder Tielemans arrived late into the area after nice
work by Thomas Meunier and Michy Batshuayi, but the returning Wayne Hennessey
clawed the effort away.
The frenetic pace
with which the game started continued, Gareth Bale the next to go close when he
turned Dan James’ low cross just around Koen Casteels’ post.
It took 25 minutes
before the pace finally dropped, but Yannick Carrasco tested Hennessey with a
first-time effort at the back post after Kevin de Bruyne’s cross sailed over
everyone.
And it was the
Atletico Madrid winger who was played in behind the Welsh defence by Tielemans
minutes later, only for Ben Davies to recover and make a crucial block.
At the other end
Connor Roberts headed Joe Allen’s cross over at the near post, the move proving
to be the last involvement in the game for the midfielder who walked slowly
down the tunnel, replaced by Ramsey.
The Burnley
full-back had Wales’ best chance of the first half minutes later.
An attempted
clearance by Meunier ricocheted off the head of his own player straight to
Roberts eight yards from goal in the centre of the box, but he never gained
full control and eventually shot wide of the left upright.
Belgium really
should have gone into the break ahead, as Leandro Trossard missed a chance the
whole ground expected him to score.
De Bruyne found a
huge pocket of space in midfield to drive into the Welsh half and played
Batshuayi into the 18-yard box, but as is becoming a common theme in Welsh
football matches, Davies was there to block the initial effort.
However, the
rebound bounced across the box to an unmarked Trossard who had the whole goal
to aim for, only to turn his effort wide of the left post.
The final chance of
the half fell to De Bruyne, who caught everyone out with a long-range effort,
but Hennessey got down smartly to turn the ball around his near post.
The warning signs
were there in the first half, and as on Wednesday against the Netherlands, it
took just five minutes for the visitors to open the scoring after the break.
A lovely move
started down the Belgian right saw De Bruyne link up well with Trossard, the
Brighton man fed Batshuayi and the Chelsea striker showed great composure to
lay the ball off for Tielemans to strike into the bottom corner.
Belgium came close
to doubling the lead minutes later when Carrasco’s deft touch almost turned the
ball goal-bound, but instead it rolled agonisingly wide.
As they did against
the Dutch, Wales responded well to going behind, Rodon found himself with a
yard of space on the edge of the Belgian box, but blasted his effort high and
wide.
The introduction of
Nottingham Forest’s Johnson, in place of Bale, brought renewed energy to the
Welsh attack, and the winger almost set up Ramsey for a tap in, but his cross
was turned behind for a corner.
Johnson, James and
substitute Colwill drove the hosts on in the final 15 minutes, backed by loud
renditions of Wales’ adopted football anthem ‘Yma O Hyd’.
Wales almost
levelled with six minutes left as Ramsey’s free-kick was floated perfectly for
Rodon, but the stooping Spurs defender could only head over.
Less than a minute
later it looked like VAR could deny Wales once more.
Neco Williams and
Colwill combined well in the middle of the field before the Liverpool wing-back
played a through ball to Ramsey.
Ramsey looked like
he’d lost possession but back-heeled the ball to Johnson, who calmly curled the
ball in at the far post, a goal which stood after a lengthy VAR check.
Unlike on Wednesday night against the Netherlands, Wales
held on to secure a first point in the top tier of the Nations League.
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