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Some pre-game thoughts from Craig Bellamy, taken from Friday’s press conference.
We need to win two games. Liechtenstein, we expect to win and I’m not going to shy away from that. North Macedonia is a different game, [but] they’re games I believe we will have a lot of possession in, and we have to be able to create chances from having that. If we finish second [in the group] we could avoid a couple of top teams at their grounds [in the playoffs], and that’s a motivation for us.
Team news
Liechtenstein (3-5-2): Buchel; Meier, Malin, Göppel; Nicolas Hasler (c), Luchinger, Alessio Hasler, Sele, Zünd; Notaro, Salanovic.
Subs: Foser, Justin Ospelt, Schlegel, Weissenhofer, Oberwaditzer, Saglam, Kranz, Luca Beck, Fabio Wolfinger, Sandro Wolfinger, Pizzi.
Wales (4-4-2): Darlow; Williams, Rodon, Lawlor, Dasilva; Thomas, Jordan James, Ampadu (c), Daniel James; Broadhead, Harris.
Subs: King, Adam Davies, Norrington-Davies, Brooks, Rubin Colwill, Koumas, Cullen, Johnson, Isaak Davies, Kpakio, Joel Colwill, Sheehan.
Referee: Juxhin Xhaja (Albania)
Craig Bellamy missed Wales’ last trip to Liechtenstein in 2009 as a player after being booked for dissent. This time, the head coach has made it to Vaduz, but is banned from the touchline after being, yep, booked for dissent during last month’s defeat to Belgium.
Bellamy’s assistant, Piet Cremers, will be in the dugout while his boss watches from the stands. The 31-year-old Dutchman has some impressive behind-the-scenes experience, having worked as a chief analyst for Manchester City and assistant manager under Vincent Kompany at Burnley.
“I might enjoy it more, being upstairs where I can see the game from new viewpoints,” says Bellamy (not to mention those exceptional mountain views). “So it’s going to be a little bit different, but the work’s done, we’ve gone through the scenarios.”
Preamble
A strange bit of scheduling means that the Welsh football and rugby union teams are playing at the same time today – and while the rugger boys are under pressure to get a result against Japan in Cardiff, the stakes feel a little lower for Craig Bellamy’s men in this quiet corner of the Alps.
Belgium have missed the chance to seal top spot in Group J after a 1-1 draw in Kazakhstan, but their final game is at home to Liechtenstein, so Wales’ realistic target is second in the group. Three points against the group’s bottom side tonight would set up a final showdown at home to North Macedonia on Tuesday, with the winner securing a playoff spot.
If Wales can win by six goals tonight, they would only need a draw on Tuesday to finish second in the group – but even if they fall short, their Nations League performance offers a back door into the playoffs. Entry through the front door would be preferable, as it offers a seeded place in the draw for March’s scrap for the final World Cup spots.
While many of Europe’s minnows have improved in recent years, Liechtenstein are not one of them; their only home win since 2018 came last year, in a friendly against Hong Kong. Failing to beat the side ranked 206th in the world wouldn’t end Welsh hopes, but would be a significant blow to their burgeoning belief. Kick-off is at 5pm GMT.
