Armenia 1-1 Wales (18 Nov, 2023) Game Analysis،
Wales’ hopes of automatic qualification for Euro 24 suffered a potentially critical blow as they were held to a 1-1 draw in their penultimate Group D match against Armenia on Saturday.
Robert Page’s side recovered from a poor start to their qualifying campaign to reach a position where a victory in Yerevan and at home to Turkey on Tuesday would have sent them to their fourth major tournament in the last five – but their fate is now decided. out of their hands.
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From the moment Armenian Lucas Zelarayan stepped up and fired a shot into the top corner after five minutes, the Welsh never managed to exert any control.
They had a huge stroke of luck in first-half stoppage time when a long throw-in from Connor Roberts was saved by the head of Armenian Nair Tiknizyan.
Photo by Levan Verdzeuli – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images
It failed to inspire a second-half surge, however, and it was Armenia, who knew a win could keep their qualification hopes alive, who were the more likely winners.
Vahan Bichakhchyan was denied by the crossbar and Edgar Sevikyk saw a chance saved in stoppage time.
Wales also had chances, with Ethan Ampadu saving a header, but they didn’t do enough to justify the three points.
Eight-point Armenia looked dejected at the final whistle as their Euro 2024 hopes were dashed – paying the price with a defeat to last-place Latvia in October.
Ampadu said all Wales could do now was beat Turkey and hope for favor elsewhere.
“We’re always good at bouncing back and on Tuesday we have to control what we can control and get the result we need, and maybe we’ll get a little bit of luck along the way,” he said at BBC Wales.
Wales needed to beat Armenia and Turkey next week to guarantee qualification, having entered the weekend level on points but with a head-to-head advantage over Croatia. They have 11 points from seven matches, five behind group leaders Turkey, but Croatia are now in second place after beating Latvia 2-0 later on Saturday.
Croatia faces Armenia in its final group match.
