Picture Credit: Twitter
It was an emotional moment for Wales and their fans as the team made it to the 2022 FIFA World Cup after 64 long years. In a closely-fought contest with Ukraine, Wales registered a victory by 1-0 to end the war-torn nation’s hopes to qualify for the World Cup for the second time as an independent nation.
This game between Wales and Ukraine was equally important for both teams as they hoped to give some joy to their fans. The support at Cardiff for both teams was remarkable right from the start of the game. While Ukraine fans never lost hope, Wales fans showed their support by singing 'Yma o Hyd' in one voice before their team took center stage. A wave of hope and joy passed through the stadium when the fans united to sing the patriotic song.
Watch the video here:
Luck goes Wales’ way
Coming to the match, it was a hard-fought battle at Cardiff. Both teams broke their sweat to find the back of the net but neither of them succeeded. However, an own goal from Ukraine winger Andriy Yarmolenko in the 34th minute gave Wales an edge which they kept intact till the end. Yarmolenko headed a Gareth Bale free-kick into his own net which turned out to be a match-deciding goal.
After this early lead, Wales keeper Wayne Hennessey was busy in the opening half making three vital saves to keep the score level. Hennessey did well to deny Roman Yaremchuk after he found himself clear on goal and then the Wales keeper was alert to get down to a dangerous Zinchenko drive and then to smother the ball at the feet of Viktor Tsygankov.
Although Ukraine lost, they were lauded for their brave effort. With so much going back in the country and with half the team not having played competitive club football since the Russian invasion, Ukraine came so close to making it to the finals for the second time in its country's history. The players showed their appreciation to their more than 2,000 supporters at the Cardiff City Stadium. They were then joined by the Wales players who before undertaking their own lap of honour also saluted the Ukrainian fans.