Where Does Kazakhstan Win Leave Wales' World Cup Hopes?

There will beryllium plentifulness of clip for Wales to dissect a difficult nighttime successful Astana erstwhile they make their eight-hour formation location from Kazakhstan.

But erstwhile nan eventual destination is USA, Canada and Mexico adjacent summer, nan study was easy for erstwhile skipper Ashley Williams.

As he put it: "For games for illustration this each that matters is that you get nan 3 points, get connected nan plane, get home."

The mobility is, though, really nan triumph leaves Wales' chances of getting to nan World Cup arsenic they look up to their last 3 games of their Group J campaign?

After Kieffer Moore's extremity was capable for an uncomfortable triumph successful Kazakhstan, Wales apical nan group connected 10 points, 2 points up of North Macedonia who person a crippled successful hand.

But it's Belgium who are nan ones to watch. Their 6-0 triumph complete Liechtenstein successful Vaduz leaves them 3 points down Wales pinch 2 games successful hand.

Whoever finishes apical automatically qualifies for nan finals, while nan runners-up book a spot successful nan 16-team play-offs for nan remaining 4 spots.

A wait.

Wales now person back-to-back friends games - against Canada successful Swansea connected Tuesday (19:45 BST) and England astatine Wembley astatine nan commencement of adjacent period – earlier returning to qualifying action.

Belgium, connected nan different hand, person successive location games against Kazakhstan connected Sunday and past North Macedonia connected 10 October.

Win some and Kevin De Bruyne and co. would beryllium 3 points up of Wales going into what is accelerated becoming a defining crippled connected 13 October erstwhile Wales invited Belgium to Cardiff City Stadium.

"It [Belgium] is nan biggest crippled we person going forward, but we had to put ourselves successful a position wherever it is an important game, truthful occupation done," summed up skipper Ben Davies aft nan triumph successful Astana.

After Belgium, Wales wrap up nan run pinch a travel to Liechtenstein and a tricky last crippled pinch North Macedonia successful Cardiff.

In position of automatic qualification, Wales simply request to win. And win. And win.

The March tie successful Skopje against North Macedonia and nan melodramatic June conclusion successful Brussels person taken distant Wales' wriggle room. A nonaccomplishment against Belgium successful Cardiff could realistically time off them trailing nan Red Devils by six points pinch 2 games to go.

And 1 of those last fixtures for Belgium – aft nan agelong travel to Kazakhstan - is simply a location necktie pinch group minnows Liechtenstein.

In that scenario, a constituent from either of those would beryllium capable to contradict Wales nonstop qualification.

Conversely, if Bellamy's broadside hit Belgium they could perchance spell into their ain last 2 fixtures level connected points pinch nan erstwhile world number 1 classed side.

"If we tin get 3 points disconnected them and they person to travel to a spot for illustration this and get 3 points pinch nan unit on," said erstwhile striker Nathan Blake successful Astana.

"With a fewer injuries, you ne'er cognize – but nan Belgium crippled is gigantic for us."

It comes down to extremity quality – and not caput to head.

And Belgium are already 2 goals amended disconnected than Wales pinch 2 games successful hand.

In different words – arsenic good arsenic beating Belgium astatine location – Wales realistically person to dream that Belgium besides driblet points elsewhere.

Especially erstwhile you see their last location crippled is against Liechtenstein.

Optimistic Wales fans will constituent to Belgium's crippled pinch North Macedonia and nan truth that Rudi Garcia's broadside could only negociate a tie successful Skopje.

After extremity difference, goals scored is nan adjacent necktie breaker earlier head-to-head results are taken into consideration.

A tense fewer weeks for fans adjacent March.

The format is nan aforesaid utilized successful caller years – and really Wales reached nan past World Cup successful Qatar.

Teams are placed into 4 paths and look a one-legged semi-final and a one-legged final; triumph some and you unafraid qualification.

With immoderate groups having only conscionable sewage nether way, it is acold excessively early to opportunity which teams could perchance beryllium lying successful wait.

As erstwhile striker Sam Vokes reminded, North Macedonia will still person a opportunity successful this group and will beryllium eyeing their travel to Cardiff successful November arsenic a chance to nick 2nd spot.

If nan worst happens, Wales are each but judge of having nan chance to suffice for nan play-offs arsenic 1 of nan Nations League group winners.

In nan apt arena of 2 of Spain, Germany, Portugal, France and England finishing either first aliases 2nd successful their group, Wales would get their play-off place.

It is simply a useful information net, but it does travel pinch a warning.

The play-offs are seeded pinch nan Nations League entrants being automatically placed into cookware four. In different words, should Wales decorativeness third, they would look 1 of nan highest classed runners-up successful nan semi-final.

Put simply, it intends Bellamy's broadside person each information going into their last 3 games.

And – arsenic was suggested aft full-time successful Astana – each that matters from present connected successful is that they win.