Brennan Johnson rewards Wales and frustrates Belgium

A quarter of an hour after entering the pitch, the Nottingham attacker Forest Brennan Johnson rewarded the push of Wales that avoided defeat three minutes from the end to snatch the second victory in a row in the League of Nations from Belgium (1-1).

The goal frustrated the team Robert Martinez and curbed their aspirations in the competition. The Red Devils missed out on two key points in Cardiff to increase the pressure on the Netherlands in the race for Group leadership. To Wales, the point is worth little. Only to make up their numbers and avoid full defeats in the first three games.

After the thrashing suffered against the Netherlands, Belgium reacted and then overwhelmed Poland. This time he could not beat Wales, who still do not know victory and who are last in the standings.

The start-up of Wales was commendable. The stimulus of qualifying for the World Cup still lasts for Robert Page’s team that pulled momentum to corner Belgium in the first minutes that left Eden Hazard on the bench.

The progress of the Real Madrid player has been evident in this League of Nations and Roberto Martínez contributes directly to his evolution in a year in which he has once again gone unnoticed. He quantifies minutes and efforts. The Spanish coach pampers Hazard, who underlines as much as possible the importance for his team of having the best version of the one who was his star. At Cardiff City he jumped onto the field with twenty minutes to go.

Wales submitted to Belgium from the start. He even scored in the fifth minute on an Ethan Ampadu volley from the edge of the box that was VAR-checked and ruled for offside.

The Welsh team insisted that they had the appearance of Gareth Bale who was able to score after a quarter of an hour after a quick action that Daniel James picked up on the left. He sent a pass to the small area. Bale stepped forward but his shot went high.

Joe Allen was injured and it was a setback for Page. The break was close and Belgium had already begun to react. Yannik Ferreira Carrasco found spaces and Kevin De Bruyne took command. His shot from the top of the area led to a great save by Wayne Hennesey. The Manchester City star had already appeared a little earlier. In a counterattack where he found Michy Batsuayi who shot badly. Nor did Leandro Trossard take advantage of the action, which did not reach the rejection.

The match broke down at the start of the second half. Belgium had already taken over the game and in the first one around the locker room they punished Wales. The Belgian team pulled speed that caught the local defense out of place. De Bruyne in command. The ball reached Batsuayi who found Youiri Tielemans who, from the penalty spot, placed the ball close to the post.

Belgium went ahead. And Wales pulled momentum to find the reaction. He took the ball but lacked the talent to resolve in the final meters. Page’s squad has no goal if Bale, who was diluted, does not see the door.

The former Real Madrid player was changed in the 73rd minute when both coaches resorted massively to the bench. The match was entering a key moment and Wales brought Wes Burns, Rubin Colwill and Brennan Johnson onto the field in one fell swoop. Roberto Martínez opted for Dennis Praet and also for Eden Hazard who took De Bruyne’s place.

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He overturned in the final minutes on the Koen Casteels area, who barely had to intervene to support his team. However, he found the prize when he least expected it. In a combined play that he exposed the center of the visiting defense. Aaron Ramsey received the ball at the crescent. He recovered from a slip on a spinner that ended with a backheel pass to Brennan Johnson who shot low past Casteels.

There was suspense. The VAR had to review the action. There was no offside and the goal went up to reward Wales and frustrate Belgium.

— Datasheet:

1 – Gales: Wayne Hennessey; Connor Roberts (Rhys Norrington-Davies, m.62), Joe Rondon, Chris Mepham, Ben Davies (Wes Burns, m.73); Harry Wilson (Rubin Colwill, m.74), Ethan Ampadu, Joe Allen (Aaron Ramsey, m.38), Neco Williams; Gareth Bale (Brennan Johnson, m.73) y Daniel James.

Selector. Robert Page

1 – Belgium: Koen Casteels; Leander Dendoncker, Dedryck Boyata, Arthur Theate; Thomas Meunier, Youri Tielemans, Axel Witsel (Lois Openda, m.90), Leandro Trossard (Dennis Praet, m.72); Kevin De Bruyne (Eden Hazard, m.72), Jannick Carrasco (Thorgan Hazard, m.62) y Michy Batsuayi.

Coach Roberto Martinez

Goles: 0-1, m.51 Youri Tielemans; 1-1 M.85 Johnson.

Referee: Benoit Bastien (FRA). He showed yellow cards to Belgium’s Jannik Carrasco and Arthur Theate and to Wales’s Joe Rondon and Rhys Norrington-Davies.

Incidents: match of the third day of Group 4 of League A of the League of Nations played at the Cardiff City stadium before 27,188 spectators.