Wales Ukraine

A European playoff on Sunday is a winner-take-all affair for Ukraine, a nation at war, and Wales, which hasn't been the tournament since 1958.

But Wales had waited even longer, and it had waited three months for the chance to complete the job. Wales has not played in the World Cup since 1958. Ukraine had not qualified for the World Cup since 2006, its only previous trip to the tournament. Wales, its players had made clear before the match, had also come to Cardiff to win. That was the other half of Sunday’s story of fraught emotions and national pride. “They make only one demand,” midfielder Taras Stepanenko had told The Guardian of the messages he and his teammates were receiving.

The Welsh star saw his free kick deflected in for a game-winning own goal.

Wales have booked their ticket to the 2022 World Cup after a 1-0 victory over Ukraine on Sunday in Cardiff in their playoff final. Hennessey made nine saves after getting the backing from Robert Page in this match. After a Gareth Bale free kick, Yarmolenko's unintentional header gave George Buschan a ball that he wouldn't be able to deal with 34 minutes in.

Gareth Bale and Wales booked Europe's final ticket to Qatar and will now face the U.S. in their opening match Nov. 21.

Republic of Ireland followed by a match against Armenia and then a second date with the Irish. It had made a run to the semifinals at Euro 2016 before losing to eventual champion Portugal. But the true star of the match was Wales goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey, who made nine saves to keep a clean sheet.

Ukraine failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar after its final match on Sunday against Wales, who will go on to compete in the tournament after ...

Wales made just seven attempts at a goal with only three on target. Wales will now play against England on Nov. 29. The match, held at the Cardiff City Stadium in Wales, was critical for Ukraine's national team -- which was unable to hold practice together for months after Russia invaded the country and hasn't qualified for the World Cup since 2006, the only time it has done so.

Gareth Bale (right) saw his deflected free-kick give Wales the lead against Ukraine. Cardiff City Stadium, Wales (CNN) It is ...

"I want to say sorry we didn't score but this is sport, this is how it happens. The visitors had given it everything and, rightfully, both teams were cheered by the fans at the final whistle. This was the sort of match that had both sets of fans queuing to gain entry and milling around hours beforehand. Moments before the players lined up for the anthems, the Welsh folk singer Dafydd Iwan sang "Yma o Hyd," a song adopted by Wales fans as their unofficial anthem. The winner would take it all and, in Wales' case, make history. This was a match where war and football intertwined.

Wales takes on Ukraine in the World Cup playoff final, in a winner takes all affair that will see the victors qualify for the tournament in Qatar.

1hrs 35 min from KO: The whole country of Ukraine and its diaspora will be behind them tonight, as Oleksandr Petrakov demonstrates in his pre-match press conference. Can the 32-year-old add to his 38 goals in 102 games this evening? 28th min: A huge chance for Ukraine as Tsygankov beats the offside trap and is through on goal but when one on one with Hennessey he hits it with his weaker right foot and puts too much curl on it as the ball goes well wide of the far post. 16th min: James tries to find a way down the left but has to settle for a corner. However, the home fans won't be so keen to hear that in three previous international meetings with their opponents, Wales have failed to win on each occasion. Wales name their starting eleven for the World Cup play-off final this evening. A few nervous faces in the lineups that's for sure... Dan James can't believe his teammate's been booked and in voicing his frustrations to the referee he also gets carded. Hennessey tips the ball beyond the post even though it looked to be going wide anyway. A dangerous ball into the six-yard box is begging to be hit but Hennessey gathers. The crowd expected something to happen when Bale stood over that ball and he delivered. Both sides will be desperate to take the final step and reach the competition proper after putting in so much hard work across the qualification phase.

In a match where war intersected with football, Gareth Bale helped Wales edge a dominant Ukraine side to reach their first World Cup in 64 years.

So it is Wales who will take their place in Group B in Qatar, alongside neighbours England, the United States and Iran, but Ukraine left absolutely everything out on the pitch. "We did everything we could, but I want the people of Ukraine to remember our efforts," Petrakov said. They want to hurt us and take our land, but we just want your support. Ukraine's players were crestfallen and heartbroken, but their red-shirted opponents sprinted to hug a teammate, slide on the pitch or tearfully seek out family in the crowd. "We wanted to show them respect," Wales manager Rob Page said. That dream is over and Petrakov knew how much reaching the World Cup mattered.

When it was over, Ukraine's players stood weeping in the rain in Cardiff, their dream of a World Cup berth ended by Wales in a taut 1-0 game that cruelly ...

“But when it comes to football and the whistle goes [off], we’ll want to win that game. “Most of the world want Ukraine to get through,” Wales Manager Robert Page said, acknowledging his team was not the sentimental favorite. Zinchenko fought back tears last week as he spoke of how his country’s determination to “never give up” inspired the team, whose players took the field with the flag of Ukraine draped over their shoulders. Here’s what that means for the USMNT. We may not have the most talented group, but we give it everything we have got.” “It’s the greatest result in history for Welsh football,” Bale told Sky Sports. “It means everything. “We need to show the people that everyone needs to live in peace and we need to stop the war altogether because you never know what’s going to happen tomorrow,” he told Sky Sports. “Today it’s Ukraine, but tomorrow Russian aggression could be with your country. “If we could click our fingers and take away the pain the Ukraine are going through, we’d do it in a heartbeat,” Page said. Bale fired a kick that Ukraine captain Andriy Yarmolenko deflected into the net for an own goal at the 34-minute mark. And midfielder Oleksandr Zinchenko used the postgame platform to make a plea for unity. Words can’t describe how we feel at the moment.” Meanwhile, Gareth Bale, with five goals in his last five appearances for Wales, came through after Dan James won a free kick on the edge of the goal area.

Welsh football team set to compete in the major football tournament for first time in 64 years. Wales v Ukraine – FIFA World ...

We’re just happy to be here and feel the atmosphere,” Yulia said. To be up there with the big boys is amazing.” Ukrainian ace Oleksandr Zinchenko, who also plays for Manchester City in the Premier League, had said before the game it was his “dream” to reach the World Cup finals. “We are just glad to be here and support Ukraine in any case. “I feel sorry as well for them and supporters from around the world who supported us. The results mean Wales will head to the World Cup for the first time in 64 years, joined byEngland, the U.S. and Iran, among others.

Ukraine has missed out on qualifying for the World Cup after the war-disrupted team lost 1-0 to Wales in the European playoff final for the FIFA soccer ...

“We didn’t deserve to lose today; it was so tight. Hennessey’s right leg kept out Viktor Tsyhankov’s poked shot 10 minutes into the second half as Ukraine searched in vain for an equalizer. “Every day we hear bombs and hear artillery. The match was just a moment of respite. “This is a day where we can feel that there is no war. “We have war raging all over the country,” Petrakov said.