Wales vs Belarus LIVE: World Cup qualifier result, final score and reaction tonight
Wales 5-1 Belarus: Aaron Ramsey’s double inspired a big win on Gareth Bale’s 100th cap
Wales moved clear in second place in World Cup qualifying Group E with a 5-1 home rout of Belarus on Saturday, as Gareth Bale earned his 100th cap for his country.
Aaron Ramsey scored twice for the hosts in Cardiff with Neco Williams, Ben Davies and Connor Roberts also on target as the Welsh boosted their hopes of finishing runners-up behind group winners Belgium who beat Estonia.
Wales are already guaranteed a place in the March playoffs to earn a place in next year’s Qatar finals having won their Nations League section. But finishing second in Group E could give them a better chance of a home draw.
Real Madrid’s Bale, Wales’s all-time top scorer, lasted only the first half of his 100th appearance before being withdrawn with a calf injury.
But by that stage Wales were already in command.
It took them only two minutes to go in front, as Ben Davies’s crisp volley was parried out by Belarus keeper Syarhey Chernik and Ramsey converted the rebound.
Williams doubled their lead in the 20th minute when he was played in by Bale and embarrassed Chernik with a near-post shot.
Ramsey coolly converted a penalty awarded for handball in the 50th minute to become only the sixth player to score at least 20 goals for Wales, and Davies then bundled in his first, on his 68th appearance for his country.
Artem Kontsevoi scored a late consolation for Belarus with a dipping shot, but Roberts completed the scoring as he touched in a Harry Wilson corner in the last minute.
Wales host Belgium in their final group game on Tuesday trailing the world number one nation by five points but with a three-point lead over third-placed Czech Republic.
A draw will be enough to seal the runners-up spot. The Czechs finish off against Estonia.
Wales vs Belarus: Page aiming for second place
Wales are already guaranteed a place in the play-offs for the World Cup after winning their Nations League group last year but they’ll be hoping to secure a home tie.
To do so they need to finish second in Group E and have a close fight with the Czech Republic. The Czechs currently sit in second but have played one game more and both teams are level on points.
Four points from their last two matches will ensure Wales finish second and with an extremely difficult match against Belgium on Tuesday a victory tonight is crucial for the Dragons.
"It is great to know that we have a play-off," said Wales boss Rob Page. "It feels very good and takes the pressure off a little bit.
"At the moment we have two games left [against Belarus and Belgium] and an opportunity to give us a more favourable tie in a play-off.
"Our full aim is on that, we want to finish second and win both games. We want to build that momentum and take it into March."
Wales vs Belarus: Team news
Wales XI: Ward; Roberts, Davies, Rodon, Williams; Ampadu, Ramsey, Allen, James; Bale, Wilson
Belarus XI: Chetnik; Zolotov, Naumov, Shevtsov, Yudenkov; Pechenin, Selyava, Klimovich, Yablonski; Lisakovich, Sedko
Wales vs Belarus: Bale treble piled on Belarus misery
Wales have won five of their six games against Belarus. The last meeting was in September when Bale’s second international hat-trick secured a 3-2 win and stopped Wales sliding to an embarrassing defeat on neutral Russian soil. Wales won home and away in Euro 2000 qualifying and Daniel James gave them victory in a 2019 Cardiff friendly. Belarus’ solitary success was a 2-1 World Cup qualifying win in Minsk in September 2000, with Wales exacting revenge at home 13 months later through a John Hartson header.
Gareth Bale ‘raring to go’ as he prepares to win 100th cap for Wales
Gareth Bale is “raring to go” and on course to win his 100th cap after being named in Wales’ squad for World Cup qualifiers with Belarus and Belgium.
Real Madrid forward Bale has not played since September 8 after suffering what was described by Wales boss Robert Page as a “significant hamstring tear”.
Gareth Bale ‘raring to go’ as he prepares to win 100th cap for Wales
Wales vs Belarus: No Moore is far less
Kieffer Moore kept Wales’ push for second place in the group alive last month with a close-range winner in Estonia. But Moore then picked up a yellow card, his second of the competition, to rule him out of the Belarus clash. Moore’s absence causes Page a headache as Wales have no like-for-like replacement for the 6ft 5in target man. Tyler Roberts offers mobility but does not possess Moore’s aerial power or scoring threat, while Page’s previous deployment of a ‘false nine’ has had mixed success.
Wales vs Belarus: Team changes
Wales boss Rob Page makes three changes to the starting XI that beat Estonia 1-0 back in October. Captain Gareth Bale returns to the side to collect his 100th cap for Wales replacing the absent Kieffer Moore.
Neco Williams slips into the back three to replace Chris Mepham and Sorba Thomas drops to the bench to accommodate Ben Davies at left wingback.
Wales vs Belarus: State of group
Belgium will secure top spot – and the automatic World Cup place on offer – by beating Estonia at home on Saturday. A draw will almost certainly be enough as well given their huge goal difference advantage over Wales. Belgium clinching their place at Qatar 2022 might be no bad thing for Wales ahead of their Cardiff clash on Tuesday. Would Belgium rest key players if that were the case? Wales need four points from their final two games to guarantee finishing above the Czechs and boost hopes of a play-off semi-final home tie.
Wales vs Belarus: Ramsey concern
Aaron Ramsey has played exactly six more minutes than Bale since the last international break. Ramsey seems increasingly surplus to requirements at Juventus but has also spent time on the sidelines through muscle fatigue. Boss Robert Page must decide whether to gamble on Bale and Ramsey with two games in four days. Ramsey went into last month’s qualifiers short on game time, starring and scoring in the first game against the Czech Republic but far less effective in the second away to Estonia.
Line-ups: Wales vs Belarus
Wales XI: Ward, Roberts, Williams, Ampadu, Rodon, Davies, Allen, Wilson, Ramsey, Bale, James
Wales vs Belarus: Ton up for Bale
Gareth Bale will become the second Welshman to win 100 caps by lining up against Belarus. Bale was due to reach the three-figure milestone last month but a hamstring tear put paid to him playing in World Cup qualifiers against the Czech Republic and Estonia Bale has not played since Wales drew at home to Estonia on September 8 but has cut a relaxed figure in training this week. Skipper Bale, Wales’ record goalscorer, is guaranteed a huge reception from the Cardiff crowd.
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