With Wales needing to beat North Macedonia to reach the World Cup qualifying play-offs, Craig Bellamy’s men outclassed their opponents 7-1, thanks in particular to a hat-trick from Henry Wilson.

In a nearly sold-out Cardiff City Stadium (around 32,000 people), the atmosphere of a big game resonated throughout the capital. From the moment the « Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau » were played, it was clear that the 11 men on the field were on a mission : to show the world that Wales is capable of playing in the 2026 World Cup in America. Coach Craig Bellamy decided to field a 4-4-2 formation with Jordan James and Ethan Ampadu suspended, a tactical choice that would pay off.

From kickoff until the first goal, the Dragons pushed forward but struggled to find solutions against a North Macedonia side that had every interest in securing a draw to reach the playoffs. But in the 18th minute, the wall cracked. David Brooks was pushed in the back in the penalty area, and referee Danny Makkelie blew his whistle for a penalty. Captain Harry Wilson took the penalty and converted it, the first of many goals for the Fulham striker (1-0). Three minutes later, Wales struck again when Brennan Johnson crossed the ball to David Brooks, who took it down with one touch at the penalty spot. His shot was deflected by a Macedonian defender, surprising the goalkeeper and allowing Wales to score their second goal (2-0).

But a few minutes later, Wales’ momentum was halted. A superb deep pass from Darko Velkovski sent Bojan Miovski through on goal, and he beat Karl Darlow, who had slipped while trying to backtrack towards his goal… (2-1). Just when it looked like the evening was about to take a turn for the worse, the Dragons reacted in the 37th minute thanks to a magnificent moment of inspiration from Brennan Johnson. He cut inside from the left wing before unleashing a magnificent strike from the edge of the box that ended up in the top right corner of the opponent’s goal. The Welsh went into the break with the score at 3-1.

A one-sided second half

Twelve minutes after returning from the locker room, it was Daniel James’ turn to join the party. Harry Wilson delivered a magnificent backheel pass that left « DJ » alone in front of the opposing goalkeeper, and a simple but effective one-touch shot gave Craig Bellamy’s men a 4-1 lead. In the 75th minute, Harry Wilson continued his show by scoring a sumptuous free kick from the corner of the box that nestled in the top left corner of the Macedonian goalkeeper’s net (5-1).

But the captain for the night wasn’t done yet. After a few feints in the box, he won another penalty after a silly foul by the opposing defense. The Fulham striker converted the penalty and came away from the match with a memorable hat trick (6-1). Nathan Broadhead, who came on in the 64th minute, rounded off a magnificent evening with a goal in the dying moments of the match, following a corner deflected by Isaak Davies, who had also come on as a substitute. The Welsh won the match 7-1.

But what are the consequences of this victory? The Dragons finish second in their group behind Belgium, which allows them to reach the playoff semifinals, but also to regain home advantage in this match. There are four possible opponents for Craig Bellamy and his men: Albania, Ireland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Kosovo. Ireland is the worst draw, while Kosovo seems to be a slightly more manageable opponent. The draw will take place on Thursday, November 20.