Chris (@Chris10Pricey) takes a look at the middle of our three group games …..
Wales’ World Cup campaign hangs on by a fingernail, as 2 goals in the final 90 seconds condemned Wales to be the 1st European nation to be beaten by Iran in a World Cup. It wouldn’t be Welsh football if there wasn’t a heartbreaker in there. Unfortunately, this was a downfall of our own making. Iran were full value for their win and would have felt robbed if they had only ended up with a point from this game.
Embed from Getty ImagesThis morning promised everything special about a World Cup. A 10am kick off, lessons cancelled, singing, early pints and bacon butties, and a game that Wales had set their sights on winning. A win that would put them on the brink of qualification from the group. Personally, this was also a special day. The chance to watch Wales together with my mother and father at a World Cup after all the years of dross we had witnessed, the years we all suffered. Circumstances prevented a trip to Qatar, so I made the long trip home on Thursday, and we took advantage of Ffos Las free raceday, which was superbly set up with a big screen, which would have been amazing, if the game had taken place in our summertime! It was great to be around fellow fans and feel a part of it and even better to be with mam and dad. (More on this later!)
Embed from Getty ImagesWhen the team news came in, Kieffer Moore was unsurprisingly named in the starting line-up, after his excellent introduction at half time on Monday night. He replaced Dan James, who had been largely ineffectual and nullified. The teams emerge and the evocative anthems took place. Ours usual takes pride of place on the international scene, but today the attention was on the Iranian anthem after the events of the previous week. Normally the scenes of passion from the Red Wall, were minimised in comparison to booing and impassioned scenes in the Iranian end. A special prelude to a vital game.
Iran were always going to be better than what they were against England and they quickly got a hold of the game, and showed some lovely intricate interplay in the opening few minutes. However, the first big chance fell to Wales, when Connor Roberts dangerous cross found a stretching Moore eight yards out. He got a boot on it, but it was straight at the Iran keeper and Moore ended up with a cut above his eye for his troubles. Moments later the ball was in the back of the net at the Wales end. Roberts cross field ball was intercepted, and Iran’s quick counter created a 3 on 1 and in the event of overplaying, Ali Gholizadeh tapped in. One of my modern pet hates, is when a player is so clearly offside the linesman doesn’t give it. Luckily, VAR intervened to show the final pass to him where he was offside, clearly, and the goal was disallowed. A huge warning sign, but one Wales would not heed.
Embed from Getty ImagesIran grew into the game and got better and better as the half went on. Wales failed to control the ball and continued to give it away cheaply. They were being overrun in midfield. As a result, Iran began to threaten more and their transitions and counter attacks were rapid. They clearly had a tactic to play a searching ball into the channel to square up 1 v 1 against Rodon or Mepham. Late in the 1st half, only an excellent challenge from Rodon prevented Taremi bearing down on goal. Again, this would prove to be another warning Wales would not take. Wales did get to half time at 0-0 and surely changes would be needed.
Embed from Getty ImagesHalf Time Wales 0 Iran 0
The second half began, as the first ended, with Iran piling on the pressure. Within 5 minutes, Wales could have put a bucket hat on the woodwork and claimed it as part of the Red Wall in an amazing passage of play. Wales gave away the ball on the edge of the Iran box, the quick break played Sardar Azmoun in behind. His pace got him away and his effort smacked the near post. From the rebound, Gholizadeh curled a beautiful effort beyond Hennessey, only to see it rebound off the far post and Azmoun’s follow up was greatly gathered by Hennessey.
Embed from Getty ImagesOn 60 minutes, Wales made changes bringing on Dan James and Brennan Johnson, to give their front line some much needed pace and it almost worked. A brave call by Rob Page, showing clear intentions to try and win it. Wales looked more threatening with them on the pitch but were still giving the ball away far too easily and Iran’s dominance continued. On 73 minutes, it took a stunning save from Hennessey to deny Saeid Ezatolahi out swinging shot, which was creeping in the far corner. Iran piled on the pressure with a run of corners, but Wales repelled them.
Embed from Getty ImagesOn 84 minutes, 2 moments that would define the game. At one end, Wales produced probably their best moment of the match, leading to a laid off ball to Ben Davies, whose rising strike needed to be tipped over. However, the resultant corner was poor and cleared. A clipped ball forward was easily intercepted, and Iran broke again. A ball over the top for Taremi to chase and Hennessey came, fully 30 yards from goal. Taremi got their first and as Hennessey went to fly hack the ball but clattered into Taremi, reminiscent of Schumacher in the 80’s (so I’m told!) The ref initially gave a yellow, possibly for Neco Williams covering, but was called over to the screen. It felt inevitable, it was clearly a red and moments later Wayne became the first player to be sent off at the 2022 World Cup.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe old adage says that if you can’t win a game, just don’t lose it and in tournament football that becomes even more important, as shown by England later in the day. In the moments following the sending off, it became imperative that Wales couldn’t lose it and the mindset had to shift from must win to must not lose. And they came within seconds of it. Danny Ward came on, to replace Ramsey but Wales were clinging on. 9 minutes of stoppage time. And in the 9th minute it happened. A cross was poorly cleared and fell to Rouzbeh Cheshmi. His first touch was poor, but his second was a thunderbolt into the bottom right corner. Cue jubilant scenes from the Iranians for their fully deserved winner. There was enough time to restart the game, and as Wales threw men forward but as had been the theme of the day, they gave the ball away, Iran broke and created a 4 on 2. Ramin Rezaeian, who was superb all game, was played in and a beautiful dink over the despairing Ward and Davies, sealed Iran’s famous day.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe final analysis of this is brutal. A must win, became must not lose, became what now. This group of players have created history, they automatically have a special place in Welsh history. They have done things no other Welsh team has done, we’ve qualified for 3 out of 4 tournaments, when for most of our lifetimes this was only a dream. But today, it seemed like a step too far, the sequel we didn’t need, a higher level we just couldn’t access.
For all the credit and how Rob Page got on Monday night reacting to what he saw, there are quite rightly questions about how the team set up today and the changes (or lack of them) that happened. Some of the players have stepped up massively, whereas others look a shadow of their former selves. This is still raw, it hurts, we are all hurting right now, probably no more so than the players. We should be grateful for what we’ve had, but in the autopsy of this, there needs to be serious questions asked, in what was one of our worst performances of recent years. Unfortunately, after the high of the second half on Monday, this was a brutal reality check.
Embed from Getty ImagesWhat next: So, just the 4-goal win over England needed then!
I delayed writing this until full time of the England USA game, and having watched that, gives me a fresh perspective on our US result. The USA were superb and deserved to win the game. Unfortunately for them, and unlike the Iranians, they couldn’t find a winner. And unfortunate for us, it made our chances much slimmer. To stand any chance of making the knockout stages, we must beat England and hope for a draw in the other game. A win for either team in that game, would render our result meaningless unless we score a lot. How Welsh would it be to beat England, yet still end up on the plane home?
Embed from Getty ImagesI said I would come back to Ffos Las and this is it. Watching a World Cup game with my mam and dad was such a special experience, even if it wasn’t the result we wanted. I know this experience has brought families, friends, loved ones closer together. The groan at the winner and subsequent expletives at the sealer, cannot dampen what was a lovely day. My luck continued through the day as in 6 of the races, I won nothing. Then in the final race, with an odds-on favourite in it, I stuck a couple of quid on Golden Millie. 2 miles later, Golden Millie races clear and wins a lot of punters including myself a lot of money at 125-1. I wasn’t as brave as the person in front of me who had £50 on it, but you don’t buy a ticket etc. On the way out, a scene of despair hours earlier, was filled with singing, Yma of Hyd, strangers hugging, a special sense of community. And that’s what we are, a special group, and our boys have brought us all together. Whatever happens, it’s been a hell of a ride.
Embed from Getty ImagesAnd every Saturday I hear these words before kick-off at the City Ground and is what I give you all to cling on to Tuesday night:
I hope nobody is stupid enough to write us off!
Brian Clough