Wales will have to go the long way round if they are to make it across the Atlantic to the World Cup finals next summer.
Not geographically, but physically - and maybe emotionally - after a 4-2 home defeat to Belgium effectively ended their hopes of automatic qualification through their group.
The defeat leaves third-placed Wales four points adrift of new Group J leaders Belgium, with just two games left.
Manager Craig Bellamy has a joker to play thanks to Wales’ Nations League efforts, but his team will need to reverse their current downward trajectory if they are to make it to their second successive finals.
Two penalties - both for handball, one very dodgy and one very silly - proved Wales’ undoing, although the brilliant Jeremy Doku might still have proved too much to contain.
Wales went ahead through a Joe Rodon header and the atmosphere at the Cardiff City Stadium was electrifying.
But a ridiculous handball decision against Ethan Ampadu allowed Kevin De Bruyne to score the first of his two assured penalties, before Thomas Meunier swept home from a devastating counter-attack.
It was a game that had lots you don’t often see - two handballs by the home side, yellow cards for both managers, and a rat the size of a squirrel that had to be ushered off the pitch.
Maybe, Wales should have got the rat on earlier.
He may have got closer to intimidating Doku than any Wales marker managed and even though Nathan Broadhead scored late on, the Belgians wrapped things up with a fourth goal for Leandro Trossard.
The first surprise of the night came an hour or so before kick-off when Wales’ team selection revealed some bold decision-making by Bellamy.
There was no starting place for either Brennan Johnson or Kieffer Moore, with Mark Harris picked as the central striker and Ben Cabango selected in central defence in preference to Chris Mepham after injury ruled out Dylan Lawlor.
Harris’s inclusion suggested that Wales would strive to be compact and press hard and aggressively across the Belgian defence.
The plan was certainly effective in the opening stages. In sharp contrast to their awful opening against England at Wembley last week, here Wales were energised, purposeful and alert.
David Brooks was sprung beyond the Belgian defence in an early attack but chose a wrong option but the momentum was maintained and Harris swept a shot goalwards, only for the ball to be deflected narrowly wide for a corner.
A header from Cabango went close before Brooks was sent sprawling in the penalty area, but appeals for a spot kick were waved away.
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The pressure on Belgium was not allowed to drop, though, and when Sorba Thomas swung over an inviting corner kick, Joe Rodon - unmarked - headed down powerfully to give Wales a deserved lead.
The reaction of the Red Wall was a euphoric roar and the noise levels stayed high as fans dared to dream of a repeat of the Gareth Bale-inspired victory over Belgium in the Euro qualifiers of a decade ago.
Yet, within 15 minutes of that high water mark, Wales were trailing 2-1 and all the energy and noise was coming from a small section of Belgian supporters, with the rest watching in stunned near silence.
The turnaround was as cruel as it was brutally executed by the Belgians.
When little danger seemed to threaten, Charles De Ketelaere's shot from outside the box struck Ethan Ampadu's arm, who was standing close by.
VAR officials sent referee Daniel Siebert to the monitor and the German gave a penalty which De Bruyne tucked away with the minimum of fuss.
Replays showed Ampadu’s arm was moving, but it was one of those calls which shows far more sympathy towards an attacker who strikes the ball at a defender’s body, than to the victim who has no chance to get out of the way.
These kind of decisions were rampant in the Premier League two seasons ago, until a directive was given to referees to apply more common sense, but that re-adjustment appears yet to happen in international football.
The decision not only drained energy from the Welsh fans, but it appeared to snap the concentration of Bellamy’s players.
Within five minutes a long ball caught Thomas and enabled Doku to surge clear.
He slowed his pace before expertly rolling the ball into the path of Thomas Meunier and the defender smashed the ball past a stranded Karl Darlow.
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Suddenly, Belgium - and in particular, Doku - had the measure of Wales and for a period of 15 minutes or so, it seemed inevitable the winger was going to take the match out of Wales’ reach.
Doku’s pace and trickery created further chances for both De Bruyne and Leandro Trossard, but Wales proved they were still involved when Jordan James struck a shot which Thibaut Courtois did well to beat away.
Harry Wilson also fired an inviting cross into the Belgian goalmouth and although they trailed 2-1 at half-time, it seemed as if a comeback, or sorts, might still be a possibility.
For that to happen, Wales needed to score first in the second-half and for a time they applied enough pressure to make it credible.
But despite sending on Johnson and Moore, Doku was the man who looked more likely to create the next decisive moment, although it was not one many could have predicted.
When James tried to stop Doku from controlling a bouncing ball, the Leicester City midfielder jabbed an instinctive elbow towards the ball.
This time it was a much easier decision for the official and De Bruyne made it 3-1 from the spot.
Substitute Nathan Broadhead did manage to make it 3-2 in the 89th minute after Moore battled to win possession, but there was still time for Trossard to restore Belgium’s two-goal cushion.
