Wales Notebook: Defeat to Belgium dampens World Cup qualification dream – but all is not lost | Football news

Where does this leave Wales’ hopes of reaching next year’s World Cup? Dented, but not finished yet.

The simple and fast route was closed by Belgium, who now own all the aces heading into the final round of matches in November. It’s hard to argue against Belgium’s position, they were the better team in Cardiff.

Qualifying in November carries much more benefits than just the glory of topping your qualifying group. Planning can start early, competing for the best training facilities and hotels is easier – you don’t have to face the challenges of the qualifiers.

For Wells, there are still some avenues that offer a North American adventure next year.

Before we get to the conclusion of Group J, Wales’ performances in their first six games under Craig Bellamy as head coach has led to a successful UEFA Nations League campaign and, although not 100 per cent certain, this campaign should provide a play-off path next March if Wales finish third.

For this to happen – which is more of a possibility than a possibility – it would require teams from England, Germany, Spain, Portugal and France to finish first or second in their qualifying groups. They’re a motley crew of Europe’s elite, so you’d expect at least two of them to come first or second.

Assuming Belgium win their remaining two matches next month, the other route is for Wales to get the better of themselves and win their final two group stage matches next month away to Liechtenstein and then beat North Macedonia in Cardiff.

They will need to win both to secure second place in the group, but again, there is still life in this qualifying group for Wales. There are two matches remaining, one away to the No. 204 team on the planet and one at home.

Well, it’s not as satisfying or confidence-building as winning the group and beating Belgium, but perhaps we’ve seen where the gap lies. Belgium maintained their composure throughout, and the first 10 minutes must have been a nightmare as Wales outplayed them and took a deserved lead, but when those crucial moments came, Belgium pulled it out.

Belgium’s first penalty could be discussed in pubs, bars, touchlines and press conferences, but was awarded by officials after VAR intervention. Referees do not change their minds because players plead their case.

It’s a decision we probably wouldn’t necessarily see in the Premier League now, but we’ve seen them for a few seasons, and in Europe for club and international matches, the officiating is different. Kevin De Bruyne’s composure and execution of his two penalty kicks was first class.

De Bruyne reminds me of the penalty kick taken by Lionel Messi in the last World Cup in Qatar, as he just waits for the goalkeeper to make his move, no matter how late, and puts the ball in an area that is impossible to save.

What De Bruyne showed is that when you have a goal opportunity, you approach it clinically. Wales had plenty of chances, but it was often 50/50. When a team, no matter how hard they try, gets beaten by someone better than them, it’s time to throw up your hands and accept it.

Bellamy has spoken a lot in recent weeks about exposing his team to the best teams in the world, and he has done so over the past week – England and Belgium. Defeat always hurts, but if a small country like Wales, with a much smaller pool of talented players, is to learn, perhaps a few tough nights and lessons are what is needed for the greater good.

There’s something else on my mind that I can’t get rid of. It’s a Bellamy quote from a while ago: “There’s always an evolution and I feel it in this group…”

Well, so far he was right. No one has ever seen Belgium lose points at home to North Macedonia and it happened. No one saw Wales’ late equalizer in their first qualifier away to the same team, but it happened.

As Bellamy said a few days ago: “Belgium still has to travel to Kazakhstan, and that is difficult in many ways.”

Could there be another twist on this set? Kazakhstan takes seven hours round trip to Belgium. They are playing on an artificial pitch and will play there on November 15. In my estimation, the Astana match in November will be a bit cold.

We will certainly not talk about automatic qualification again…

Probably not, there’s a fatal flaw. Belgium’s final qualifying match will be played at home against Liechtenstein. 8th globally, compared to 204th globally. Absolutely not?