By Josh Thomas
Ryan Giggs says he was pleased with the performance after Wales stretched their unbeaten run at home to five games on Sunday night – coming from behind to claim a 1-1 draw with Croatia at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Nikola Vlasic opened the scoring with a first time low shot just outside the box, moments after Dan James seemed to have been fouled by Dejan Lovren.
But Gareth Bale netted the equaliser deep into stoppage time at the end of the first half, after a lovely through ball by Ben Davies, to leave Wales four points off second placed Hungary with two games left.
Despite both teams having chances to win the game in the second half, the point keeps Wales’ chances of reaching Euro 2020 alive – although dependent on the Slovaks slipping up.
“I’m pleased with the performance,” said Giggs. “The character that the lads have shown, the concentration was good against a very good side.
“We showed great character coming back from 1-0 down. We didn’t panic and you want to be greedy, you want to win these games, but I am more than pleased with a point.”
Wales sit in fourth place in the table and Giggs says they need to win their two remaining games against Azerbaijan, away, and Hungary at home next month.
“We need to win our two games,” added Giggs.
“But that point could be vital if goes down to a head-to-head with Slovakia.
“We are relying on Croatia to beat Slovakia, we need to win our two games and that’s all we are concentrating on. It won’t be easy but we are capable of it.”
The Red Dragons came into the game naming an unchanged side from their away draw with Slovakia at the Stadion Antona Malatinskeho, after Aaron Ramsey missed out after failing to recover in time from injury.
While Croatia made three changes from their win over Hungary with Josip Brekalo, Mateo Kovacic, and Vlasic all bought into the starting line-up.
And it was Brekalo who had the first chance of the match after six minutes, but the 21-year-old sent his effort well wide of Wayne Hennessey’s goal.
A couple of minutes later and Wales were screaming for a penalty after a long ball over the top on the left was chased by both James and Lovren, but it was the Liverpool defender who showed his strength to come out on top despite protests from the crowd.
Moments later, Croatia went in front from Vlasic’s smart finish after being found by Bruno Petkovic.
Brekalo picked up the ball just inside his own half and the Wolfsburg forward took the ball into the penalty box before laying the ball into the path of Petkovic.
The 25-year-old slipped the ball to Vlasic, whose low shot went in off the post.
Seconds later, Bale went close after his effort on the edge of the area was kept out by Dominik Livakovic, before Zlatko Dalic’s men came close to doubling the scoring through Ivan Perisic.
Petkovic’s cross from the left was glanced on by Perisic and the ball looked likely to nestle in the back of the net, before Hennessey’s superb save tipped it wide.
Jonny Williams went close to equalising after good work from Bale found Kieffer Moore and his header downwards was chased by the Charlton Athletic midfielder but Livakovic was quick out of his goal to smother the danger.
However, the hosts did get their goal in stoppage time at the end of the first half after Ben Davies, on his 50th cap to become the 41st Welsh international to reach half a century, ran forward and tried to find Bale.
With Bale unable to control the pass, the ball went loose but Davies won the ball back after a challenge on Kovacic – which the visitors thought was a foul – before the full-back slipped the ball into Bale.
He showed great strength and composure to hold off Lovren before sliding the ball past Livakovic into the far corner.
In what was a physical encounter throughout with challenges flying in, it was Wales who almost took the lead after Davies won the ball back and played the ball into the path of James.
The Manchester United winger carried the ball into the penalty area, but the 21-year-old could only shoot straight at Livakovic, who gathered the ball at the second attempt away from the advancing Kiefer Moore.
Tim Jedvaj went close to restoring the 2018 World Cup finalists the lead after being played in by Bayern Munich loanee Perisic, but the 23-year-old defender saw his effort curl just wide of the far post.
Despite eight minutes added on, there was nothing to separate the two sides.
But Wales can still qualify for the European Championship finals if they win their final two games, starting with Azerbaijan on the 16th of November before hosting Hungary three days later.
Wales: Hennessey, Davies, Rodon, Allen, Bale (C), Moore (Tyler Roberts 86) Connor Roberts, Ampadu (Morrell, 50), Lockyer, Williams (Wilson, 68), James.
Croatia: Livakovic, Baraisic, Perisic, Lovern, Kovacic (Rakatic, 45) Modric (C) (Badelj, 90) Vlasic, Jedvaj, Brekalo, Petkovic (Rebic, 64) Vida.
