Cyprus 3 Wales 1: Bellamy's fury at Wales surrender

Paul Walker
Monday 15 October 2007 00:00 BST
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Craig Bellamy has challenged his Wales colleagues to make amends for Saturday's disastrous capitulation against Cyprus. The Wales striker is believed to have made a fierce captain's speech to his team-mates in the wake of this shambolic 3-1 defeat. Wales head to San Marino today for Wednesday's second Euro 2008 qualifying group match in five days. San Marino have lost every one of the 43 games they have played as a nation and are bottom of Group D without a point.

Wales now dare not produce anything but a convincing display but they will have to play in San Marino without their goalscorer here, the West Ham defender James Collins, who has a recurrence of a calf injury.

Bellamy said: "There is something seriously wrong with Welsh football if we now fail to beat San Marino on Wednesday.

"We know we did not deserve to win the game – we were that poor. The way we have been playing lately and our tactics, we do run a fine line that can punish us. And Cyprus did just that."

After scoring his first goal for his country, Collins had intensive treatment on the injury at the team hotel yesterday, but since it was decided he could not be fit to face San Marino he will return to his club.

Wales will not call up a replacement as they have Craig Morgan and Steve Evans in the squad as cover. Bellamy said his fitness was "fine" after his groin operation.

Goals: Collins (21) 0-1; Okkas (59) 1-1; Okkas (68) 2-1; Charalampidis (79) 3-1.

Cyprus: Georgallides; Okkarides, Satsias (Marangos 71), Elia (Charalampidis 63), Michail (Yiasoumis 46), Paraskevas, Garpozis, Makridis, Nicolau, Aloneftis, Okkas.

Wales: Coyne; Ricketts (Easter 73), Collins (Morgan 44), Gabbidon, Bale, Nyatanga, Ledley, Robinson, Davies, Bellamy, Eastwood (Earnshaw 58).

Referee: C Bertolini (Switzerland).

Booked: Cyprus Marangos, Aloneftis; Wales Eastwood, Easter.

Man of the match: Okkas.

Attendance: 8,500.

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