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Wales’ Euro 2024 aspirations were dashed in heartbreaking fashion when they lost a 5-4 penalty shootout to Poland in their playoff final following a goalless draw after 120 minutes.
Neither nation produced a sparkling attacking showing in normal or extra time, with the exception of a disallowed Ben Davies goal near the end of the first half, but a nail-biting shootout began with nine perfect penalties until Daniel James took the spot.
However, with Leeds United needing to score to force sudden death, the winger’s penalty was saved by Wojciech Szczesny, as Michal Probierz’s team punched their ticket to Germany and left Rob Page’s team sad.
Despite scoring in the Dragons’ semi-final victory over Finland, David Brooks was put to the bench by Page, who instead relied on Kieffer Moore as the main point of his offense.
The Ipswich Town hotshot and Robert Lewandowski were isolated in the opening exchanges, as neither team went for the jugular early on, with the exception of an 11th-minute Karol Swiderski strike that barely missed the post.
Szczesny was given something to think about in the 17th minute, but Davies’ header from Harry Wilson’s corner also went wide, and the game was still without an attempt on goal as the half-hour mark approached.
As an exceedingly cagey opening period came to a conclusion, Davies appeared to have headed home the opener for the hosts, only to be rightfully rejected by an offside call following Moore’s knock-on.
While elation rapidly changed to sorrow, Wales should have been heartened by that close call at the end of the half, and the hosts were in control immediately after the restart.
Szczesny was forced into a fantastic fingertip save from Moore’s 48th-minute header, but despite the impassioned fans’ best efforts, both teams struggled to find top gear in Cardiff.
Wales vs Poland | Euro 2024 Qualifiers
As Poland began to threaten again, Page made the brave decision to replace Tottenham Hotspur’s Brennan Johnson with James, while Connor Roberts was injured in the dying minutes and replaced by Brooks.
The game continued on a knife-edge as injury time approached, and the extra 30 minutes that appeared unavoidable arrived after a goalless 90 minutes in which the visitors could not manage a single shot on goal yet were not put under significant defensive pressure.
In the 99th minute, Jakub Piotrowski almost changed that for the Eagles, cutting inside and unleashing a spinning right-footed strike from outside the box, but his astonishing effort went just a little high and wide.
As penalties entered the minds of both managers, Page replaced the unfortunate Brooks, who had only been on the play for half an hour, with Nathan Broadhead; whether the former had picked up a knock or was considered as an inferior spot-kick taker was anyone’s guess at the moment.
Wales concluded the 120 minutes with 10 men as Chris Mepham received a second yellow card, but the defender’s dismissal was completely insignificant as both desperate sides started their pre-penalty huddles.
Poland’s Lewandowski, Sebastian Szymanski, Przemyslaw Frankowski, Nicola Zalewski, and Krzysztof Piatek all scored from 12 yards, while Wales’ Davies, Moore, Wilson, and Neco Williams did the same.
The dreaded fifth penalty rested on James’ shoulders, but Szczesny guessed properly and sprung to his right to deny the ex-Manchester United player, and Poland dashed down to the other end of the pitch to celebrate with the travelling audience.
Poland, who have qualified for their fifth consecutive Euros, will play in a difficult Group D alongside France, the Netherlands, and Austria, while Wales will miss out on their third consecutive involvement in the continental competition.
