Wales Dig Deep in Kazakhstan to Keep World Cup Dream Alive
It was a long and draining trip, six time zones away, but Wales came back from Kazakhstan with exactly what they needed — three points. The match wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t comfortable, but Craig Bellamy’s side managed to grind out a 1–0 win in Astana thanks to a first-half goal from Kieffer Moore. And in qualification football, that’s all that matters.
The game itself was far from straightforward. Kazakhstan, ranked 114th in the world, might not look like a major threat on paper, but anyone watching could see that they caused plenty of problems. A packed stadium, an artificial surface, and a team desperate to prove a point meant Wales had to fight for every inch. In fact, Kazakhstan came agonisingly close to an equaliser in stoppage time when a free-kick rattled the crossbar. Relief, not celebration, was the overriding emotion when the final whistle blew.
The winning goal came from a set piece. Harry Wilson whipped in a dangerous free-kick, Liam Cullen flicked it on, and the Kazakh goalkeeper, making his debut, failed to deal with it. Moore was quickest to react, stabbing the ball home for his 15th international goal on what was also his 50th cap. It was a landmark moment for the striker, who has become a reliable figure for Wales in big games.
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But what does this result actually mean for Wales’ World Cup hopes? Right now, they sit on top of Group J with 10 points. North Macedonia are close behind, and Belgium are lurking ominously with games in hand. Only the group winner qualifies directly for the tournament in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. The second-placed team heads to the play-offs — something Wales know well after reaching Qatar the hard way last time.
The real test is still to come. Wales’ next qualifier is against Belgium in Cardiff in October, and that game is shaping up to be decisive. If Wales win, they’ll stay right in the hunt for top spot. Lose, and Belgium could open up a gap that might be impossible to close, especially since they still have a routine game against group minnows Liechtenstein to come.
Ben Davies, the Wales captain, summed it up perfectly after the Kazakhstan win: “It wasn’t our best performance, but these are tough places to come. To walk away with three points was exactly what we wanted. And now we’ve put ourselves in a position where the Belgium game really matters.”
There’s also a safety net. Even if Wales slip to third, their Nations League standing almost guarantees them a play-off place. But that route is far tougher, with higher-ranked opponents waiting. Nobody in Bellamy’s squad wants to risk that.
So, the message is clear: from here on in, Wales simply have to win. Every game counts, every point matters, and October’s clash with Belgium could define whether their World Cup dream is secured early — or dragged into the high-pressure chaos of the play-offs.
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