Wales sink Kazhakstan to get World Cup campaign up and running | World Cup 2026 qualifiers

It was not pitch perfect but Wales made a winning start to their World Cup qualifying campaign, the substitute Rabbi Matondo capping victory in stoppage time after Ben Davies and Daniel James scored either side of a Kazakhstan penalty. The hush of trepidation that filled the Cardiff air approaching the final whistle served to confirm what proved an awkward night as Wales edged past Kazakhstan, 110th in the world, to preserve Craig Bellamy’s unbeaten record in charge, though an improved performance is surely required if that is to remain in North Macedonia on Tuesday.

Wales hope this is the start of another memorable journey. And one with a happier ending than three woeful group-stage performances. This week even Ben Davies, a typically uber-cautious talker, did not dress up Wales’s showing at the last World Cup. “The best moment of Qatar was probably just the Ukraine [playoff] game in getting there,” said the defender, again captain in the absence of Aaron Ramsey, who is out for the rest of the season after hamstring surgery. A determination to do themselves justice on the biggest stage pervades this Wales squad but Bellamy was the first to acknowledge they cannot allow that desire to overwhelm them.

The first assignment seemed simple enough: beat Kazakhstan, a team 81 places below Wales in the Fifa rankings, on Welsh soil. Bellamy had spent recent weeks delving deep into the archives to get a flavour of what to expect, analysing the way Ali Aliyev, Kazakhstan’s interim manager, set up his team when in charge of Kazakhstani side Kyzylzhar in his previous job. In reality, Bellamy did not need a database to tell him Kazakhstan would line up in a low block.

So, understandably, there was a nervousness both in the stands and among those in red on the pitch when Kazakhstan headed in at the interval deservedly level. In truth, Wales made an underwhelming start, with Maxim Samorodov registering the first shot of the game, but led on nine minutes owing to a slice of luck, James’s shot taking a huge deflection to wrong-foot the Kazakhstan goalkeeper Alexandr Zarutskiy after Askhat Tagybergen failed to clear the ball inside the box. Bellamy punched the air but Wales would not accelerate clear of their opponents.

Wales missed an opportunity to double their advantage when David Brooks failed to make the most of a two v one scenario. James sent Brooks haring towards the visitors’ goal with only one Kazakhstan defender on the horizon but despite spying the advancing Sorba Thomas to his left Brooks undercooked his pass. A couple of minutes later Wales were reeling after Connor Roberts was penalised for handball inside the box. Roberts handled Islam Chesnokov’s hopeful cross from outside the box and the referee, after a lengthy VAR check, awarded a penalty.

Bellamy looked on incredulously and Roberts protested before Tagybergen’s tame spot-kick, down the middle of Karl Darlow’s goal. Darlow intercepted the penalty but the ball corkscrewed over the line. More VAR drama followed before the interval, another long wait which culminated in Samorodov being booked for catching Roberts with his studs after a check for a red card. It was a rogue challenge but it felt like a sensible decision by the Lithuanian referee, Donatas Rumsas.

Wales were a little stodgy but there was nothing laboured about Davies’s header 79 seconds after the restart. Zarutskiy flapped at a Thomas corner and the ball zoomed over the goalkeeper’s flailing hands and towards the back post, where Davies powered a header into the net. It was the perfect way to erase any fears forming in the minds of those who witnessed Armenia overpower Wales here in a Euro 2024 qualifier or, indeed, Gibraltar hold Wales 0-0 last summer.

Neco Williams tested Zarutskiy with a free-kick but ultimately it was Davies’s effort that offered Wales comfort before Matondo sealed victory, converting Thomas’s squared cross from inside the box. “Don’t take me home,” crooned the locals, for whom those four words were the soundtrack of their unforgettable run to the semi-finals of Euro 2016. Now they pine for another adventure on the global stage.