(Football news) With the exception of a disallowed goal by Ben Davies towards the conclusion of the first half, neither team displayed a thrilling attacking display in normal or extra time. However, a thrilling penalty shootout started with nine flawless attempts before Daniel James onto the field.
The Leeds United winger’s spot attempt was blocked by Wojciech Szczesny, though, as Michal Probierz’s team punched their ticket to Germany and left Rob Page’s team devastated. The team needed to score to force sudden death.
Even though David Brooks scored a goal in the Dragons’ semi-final victory over Finland, Page benched him and substituted Kieffer Moore as the center of his attack.
The Ipswich Town hotshot and Robert Lewandowski cut isolated figures in the opening exchanges, though, as neither team went for the jugular early doors, barring an 11th-minute Karol Swiderski effort which just crept past the post.
Szczesny was given something to think about in the 17th minute, but Davies’s header from Harry Wilson’s corner also missed the target, and the game was still waiting for its first shot on target as the half-hour mark approached.
As an incredibly cagey opening period drew to a close, though, Davies ostensibly thought that he had headed home the opener for the hosts, only to be correctly denied by an offside decision after meeting Moore’s knock-on.
While elation quickly turned to despair, Wales ought to have been encouraged by that near-miss right at the end of the half, and true enough, the hosts were in the ascendancy straight after the restart.
Szczesny was forced into a terrific fingertip stop from Moore’s 48th-minute header, but both teams were still struggling to hit top gear in Cardiff, despite the best efforts of the fervent fans.
As Poland began to threaten again, Page made the bold decision to withdraw Tottenham Hotspur’s Brennan Johnson for James, while Connor Roberts went down injured in the dying embers and was taken off for Brooks.
The tie remained on a knife-edge as injury time loomed, and the extra 30 minutes that seemed inevitable did arrive after a goalless 90, where the visitors could not muster a single attempt on target but did not come under major duress defensively.
Jakub Piotrowski almost changed that for the Eagles in the 99th minute, cutting inside and letting fly with a swerving right-footed strike from outside the box, but his stunning effort was just a fraction too high and wide.
As penalties entered the minds of both managers, Page sacrificed the unfortunate Brooks – who had only been on the pitch for half an hour – for Nathan Broadhead; whether the former had picked up a knock or was regarded as an inferior spot-kick taker was anybody’s guess at the time.
Wales finished the 120 minutes with 10 men as Chris Mepham picked up a second yellow card, but the defender’s sending-off was incredibly inconsequential, as both beleaguered sides entered their pre-penalty huddles.
Lewandowski, Sebastian Szymanski, Przemyslaw Frankowski, Nicola Zalewski and Krzysztof Piatek all found the mark from 12 yards for Poland, as did Davies, Moore – just – Wilson and Neco Williams for the Welsh.
James was given the dreaded fifth penalty duty, but Szczesny made the right guess and leaped to his right to deny the former Manchester United player. Poland then rushed to the opposite end of the field to celebrate with the visiting supporters.
Poland, who have qualified for their fifth consecutive Euros, will play in a formidable Group D alongside France, the Netherlands, and Austria, while Wales will not be competing in their third consecutive continental tournament.
Also read: Ukraine qualify for the EURO 2024
