'Tough night' - Welsh media react as Leeds United trio see World Cup hopes dashed, one 4/10 given

Leeds United’s Welsh trio endured mixed evenings on Monday night as Craig Bellamy’s nine-game unbeaten run came to an end in dramatic fashion against Belgium.

Wales came from 3-0 down to draw level at 3-3 in Brussels before falling behind to a Kevin De Bruyne winner in the 88th minute. Romelu Lukaku, Youri Tielemans and Jeremy Doku put Belgium three up inside 37 minutes before Harry Wilson’s first-half added-time penalty provided some half-time hope.

Sorba Thomas and Brennan Johnson then had Wales level by 69 minutes but after a tense finish, De Bruyne won it with a late back-post effort. Defeat leaves Wales second in World Cup qualifying Group J, which would be enough for a play-off spot, but Belgium are only three points behind with two games in hand - surprisingly, North Macedonia sit top.

Leeds winger Dan James missed out through illness for a second time this international break but three Elland road teammates featured, with Joe Rodon in front of Karl Darlow while Ethan Ampadu started in midfield. And there was mixed reaction to the trio’s performances in Brussels.

Welsh outlet Y Clwb Pel-Droed handed out a disappointing 4/10 rating for goalkeeper Darlow, with reporter Ben Thomas writing on the Leeds shot-stopper: “It was a tough night in goal for Darlow, he couldn’t do much about the home side’s first two goals, but it did feel like he could have done better with the third.”

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Rodon was one of four Welshmen to receive a steady 7/10, with Thomas writing: “Despite being part of a defensive unit that conceded three goals, Rodon was the away side’s best-performing defender, winning several key duels and making important clearances.”

Ampadu, meanwhile, struggled to a 5/10 against an elite midfield unit. Thomas wrote of the Whites skipper: “The Leeds United man struggled to make a major impact against Belgium’s talented midfield, but he showed composure on the ball and did well to recycle possession, helping Wales apply some pressure.”

Reaction as Leeds United trio suffer Wales defeat

Despite falling to defeat, Wales are still well-placed to fight for a World Cup spot with current leaders North Macedonia still due to play in Cardiff and Belgium, while the latter also have a trip to Wales on the horizon. And Bellamy cut an optimistic figure when reflecting on his first defeat since taking the manager’s job in July.

“There’s a lot of life in this group and today I saw a lot of life in this team,” he told WalesOnline. “We aren’t going anywhere. I don’t like losing. I understand the game but how you lose is more important. Who are you as a person? Who is your team? I see that and I’m beyond proud. We’re a good team. To come to a top-eight team and can we play the way we want to play? I think the Belgium players saw it as well.

“I understand results, I really do. But football means more to me than that. It always has done. I’d rather try something great and fail than do nothing and succeed. I’ve always been that way. I said I wasn’t coming to sit back, it’s not in my nature, don’t do it … it’s not our culture, it’s not who we are. So for me it was, ‘can we come to a top-eight team in the world then and come and play?’.”

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