March 25, (THEWILL) – Against Austria in the Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifying playoffs, Gareth Bale scored a brace to help Wales reach the playoff final at home, where they will face either Scotland or Ukraine.
Wales has not qualified for a World Cup since 1958, and there is no better time than now to do it ahead of the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
Rob Page’s side faced Austria in a play-off semi-final on Thursday, with Real Madrid superstar Bale once again proving the difference for his country in a 2-1 victory.
Only a Ben Davies own goal, which diverted off Marcel Sabitzer’s shot past Wayne Hennessey, threatened to spoil the Welsh celebrations, as they hung on despite Bale’s exit in stoppage time with a groin injury.
Bale will have more time to heal before the final because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which resulted in the former being barred from FIFA events and the latter being permitted to postpone their semi-final against Scotland.
The Scotland match is yet to be scheduled, with Steve Clarke’s side instead meeting Poland, Russia’s anticipated play-off opponents, in a friendly on Thursday that ended in a 1-1 draw.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
