Wales suffered one of the vital embarrassing ends in their historical past towards Gibraltar as opponents ranked 203 on the planet held them to a 0-0 draw.
Solely seven groups within the 210-strong worldwide soccer household are worse than Gibraltar, in line with FIFA, but Wales didn’t beat a aspect who had misplaced their previous 13 video games by an mixture rating of 50-0.
Though this was a low-key pleasant performed at Gibraltar’s short-term dwelling in Portugal, this end result will do few favours for Dragons supervisor Rob Web page.
The Soccer Affiliation of Wales have been fast to again Web page after the Dragons didn’t qualify for Euro 2024 this summer time.
However these grumbling voices amongst Wales’ fan base will get louder as Gibraltar prevented defeat for the primary time since beating Andorra in November 2022.
Web page named a youthful aspect boasting solely 44 caps and Wales ended a irritating afternoon on the Estadio Algarve with Brennan Johnson, Daniel James and Kieffer Moore on the pitch desperately in search of a objective.
Liverpool’s Lewis Koumas was additionally despatched on from the bench for the ultimate 17 minutes and {the teenager} nearly marked his debut with a winner six minutes after his arrival, however Gibraltar goalkeeper Jaylan Hankins reacted effectively to push his effort huge.
The 2 sides had met as lately as final October – their solely earlier contest – when Wales coasted to a 4-0 win in Wrexham.
Bolton midfielder Josh Sheehan took over the armband, successful solely his sixth cap and first as a starter, and full-backs Fin Stevens and Jay Dasilva made debuts.
Koumas and 17-year-old Leeds midfielder Charlie Crew would additionally win first caps on a day when none of Wales’ beginning line-up had performed within the Premier League within the season simply completed.
The tempo of Rabbi Matondo, Wales’ most skilled participant with 10 caps, was an early risk with the Rangers winger eager to run at opponents.
Ben Cabango headed over Sheehan nook and Wales continued to probe with out a lot objective and penetration.
Gibraltar have been content material to take a seat in a low block with proceedings happening nearly completely in their very own half.
Wes Burns had impressed along with his method on the best flank, however he was simply unable to toe Charlie Savage’s cross round onrushing goalkeeper Hankins.
Sheehan was cautioned for a excessive problem on Tjar De Barr by Northern Irish referee Jamie Robinson that may have introduced larger sanction in a aggressive affair.
Wales upped the tempo because the half-hour arrived with Hankins producing a robust hand to push out Liam Cullen’s well-struck low shot and Cabango heading over.
Matondo had an effort blocked however Gibraltar reached the break with their objective intact and little doubt delighted by their first half work.
Sheehan’s set-pieces had triggered Gibraltar as a lot trouble as Wales’ build-up play within the first half.
Joe Low one way or the other managed to divert huge when standing a yard from objective, and Sheehan’s subsequent nook sailed over Hankins’ head and hit the within of a put up.
Web page made a triple change on the hour with James, Johnson and Moore all arriving to pep up the assault.
The risk started to develop with Savage’s shot charged down and Bernardo Lopes positioning himself on the goal-line to move away Cabango’s header.
Koumas nearly added to the debut objectives he had managed for Liverpool and Wales Beneath-21s in latest months, however there was no fairytale end this time and jeers from travelling followers greeted the ultimate whistle.
