Poland beat Wales on 'cruel' penalties to qualify for Euro 2024
Poland denied Wales a place at a third consecutive European Championship on penalties after the sides could not be separated in a tense 0-0 draw in Cardiff on Tuesday.
Leeds winger Dan James was the only player to fail to score in the shootout as Poland's five perfect spot-kicks earned them a place alongside France, the Netherlands and Austria in Group D at Euro 2024.
Wales' new generation, shorn of the talismanic presence of the retired Gareth Bale, came up short by the finest of margins in heartbreaking fashion for the home fans at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Rob Page's men had a goal ruled out for offside in first-half stoppage time and were denied by a brilliant Wojciech Szczesny save to turn away Kieffer Moore's header early in the second period.
"It's a cruel game, that's what I've said to the players, one kick away from qualifying. It hurts," said Page.
Despite possessing the threat of Barcelona star Robert Lewandowski up front, Poland failed to register a single shot on target in the 120 minutes.
However, the visitors found their range from the spot as Lewandowski, Sebastian Szymanski, Przemyslaw Frankowski, Nicola Zalewski and Krzysztof Piatek confidently fired home.
James had to score to keep his country in it, but Szczesny was the hero once more as he dived low to his right to send Poland to a fifth consecutive Euros.
Only once before have they managed to get out of the group stages of the European Championship, reaching the quarter-finals in 2016.
- Daunting task -
Michal Probierz's side have a daunting task ahead in Germany but will be relieved just to have escaped Cardiff with a place in the finals in June.
Both sides were in free-scoring form in the playoff semi-finals on Thursday as Wales brushed aside Finland 4-1, while Poland trashed Estonia 5-1.
However, it was a far tighter and more tense affair with qualification on the line.
Page shuffled his forward options as despite scoring against the Finns, David Brooks dropped to the bench to make way for Kieffer Moore.
Moore's physical presence has been a vital weapon in Wales' arsenal since Page took charge four years ago and provided a bigger threat than Lewandowski at the other end.
At the end of a first half short on goalmouth action, the hosts thought they had taken the lead in stoppage time.
Ben Davies headed in from Moore's knockdown but the Tottenham defender had strayed centimetres offside.
Szczesny denied Moore the opener just two minutes into the second period with a spectacular save to prevent the on-loan Ipswich striker's header looping into the top corner.
Poland's away form had already cost them automatic qualification after defeats on the road to Albania, the Czech Republic and Moldova.
Wales goalkeeper Danny Ward has not played a minute of club football for Leicester this season, yet he was not tested before the shootout.
The home side finished the 90 minutes in the ascendency but lacked the creative spark to make the breakthrough that was so often provided over the past decade by Bale or the injury-plagued Aaron Ramsey, who was an unused substitute.
The tables were turned in Wales' first ever period of extra-time in international football as Page's exhausted men clung on for penalties.
Jakub Piotrowski came closest to winning the game for the Poles as his effort from the edge of the box flew inches past the far post.
Wales saw out the final few seconds with 10 men as Chris Mepham was shown a second yellow card.
But their first experience of penalties was a sour one despite Davies, Moore, Harry Wilson and Neco Williams scoring their first four efforts.
M.Stevenson--EWJ
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