Another heart-breaking game for Wales

If points were awarded for courage Wales would have had something to show for their extraordinary efforts at Borussia Park (Moenchengladbach), but instead John Toshack and his players returned home bemoaning another hard-luck story.

A combination of brave defending and German profligacy ensured the match remained goalless for 71 minutes before Piotr Trochowski broke Welsh hearts with a goal that was worthy of winning a tournament, never mind a qualifier.

Checking back on to his right foot on the edge of the penalty area, Trochowski delivered a shot of unerring accuracy which fizzed beyond Wayne Hennessey and into the top right-hand corner of the net. It was a cruel blow to a Wales side that suffered a similar fate in Moscow in September, when Russia scraped a winning goal nine minutes from time. There is considerable comfort to be found in both performances, but the night of October 16 was not the time to reflect on consolation prizes.

It would be impossible to claim that Germany did not deserve victory, given their overriding superiority throughout, but the timing of Trochowski’s goal left Wales understandably deflated. Until the deadlock was broken they were belligerent and resilient, with James Collins, who was making his first competitive start since January, excelling in central defence as he repelled Germany’s attacks almost single-handedly at times.

There were other contributions to celebrate, including those of Collins’ defensive partners, Craig Morgan and Ashley Williams, but Toshack was unable to accentuate positives as he reflected on the sobering reality that defeat has left Wales with no margin for error when the next qualification games come round in March and April.

“We have played the toughest two games and we have just missed out on both occasions,” said the Wales manager. “Our next two games are against Finland and Germany at home when we need four points minimum. Anything less and we are out of it.”

Toshack, who described Collins’ display as “outstanding”, admitted his players were crestfallen afterwards. “The fact we have come here and lost 1-0 to a top team and are really disappointed — I think that’s a good sign,” he said. “But Germany pushed forward in the second half and the four players in the middle of the park, if you give them room, can all hit the ball from 25 yards. Unfortunately for us, one of them went in.”

Surprise was never going to be a feature of Toshack’s game plan. This was always going to be a backs-to-the-wall assignment and, with that in mind, he reverted to a five-man defence. The idea was to defend in numbers, soak up the pressure and, when the opportunity arose, exploit Craig Bellamy’s pace on the counter-attack. It was hardly rocket science but the approach succeeded in frustrating Germany for long periods.

Indeed at the interval there were the first signs of unrest from the German crowd, a reaction that said everything about how well Toshack’s players had implemented his tactics.

The second half promised another rearguard action but for a moment the travelling supporters dared to dream when Bellamy scampered clear, before Rene Adler saved at the near post. The attack was an aberration, however, as Joachim Low’s side began to lay siege to the Wales goal.

Three chances in as many minutes around the hour mark promised a breakthrough but Trochowski squandered the best of them when he mis-kicked with the goal at his mercy after Lukas Podolski and Bastian Schweinsteiger combined on the right.

The pressure was now incessant and back came Germany again, Hennessey this time coming to Wales’s rescue as he saved from Schweinsteiger before repelling Heiko Westermann’s shot at the near post with his legs.

Any ideas Wales might have had that they had weathered the storm were shattered moments later when Trochowski, atoning for his embarrassing miss moments earlier, registered his first international goal in the most emphatic fashion. Michael Ballack, who was largely a peripheral figure, later hit the post with a 20-yard free-kick, but for Wales the game was already up. “In the cold light of day I have to be disappointed with the result,” added Toshack.

The Results

Austria 1 (Janko 80) lost to Serbia 3 (Krasic 14, Jovanovic 18, Obradovic 24). Half-time: 0-3; Belarus 1 (Sitko 28) lost to England 3 (Gerrard 11, Rooney 50 & 74). Half-time: 1-1; Belgium 1 (Sonck 7) lost to Spain 2 (Iniesta 36, Villa 88). Half-time: 1-1; Bosnia-Hercegovina 4 (Spahic 31, Dzeko 39, Muslimovic 56 & 89) bt Armenia 1 (Minasian 85). Half-time: 2-0; Croatia 4 (Rakitic 17 & 87, Olic 32, Modric 75) bt Andorra 0. Half-time: 2-0; Czech Republic 1 (Sionko 64) bt Slovenia 0. Half-time: 0-0; Estonia 0 drew with Turkey 0; Georgia 0 drew with Bulgaria 0; Germany 1 (Trochowski 72) bt Wales 0. Half-time: 0-0; Greece 1 (Charisteas 68) lost to Switzerland 2 (Frei pen-41, Nkufo 77). Half-time: 0-1; Iceland 1 (Gunnarson 16) bt FYR Macedonia 0. Half-time: 1-0; Italy 2 (Aquilani 8, Tanasijevic o.g. 30) bt Montenegro 1 (Vucinic 19). Half-time: 2-1; Latvia 1 (Kolesnicenko 88) drew with Israel 1 (Benayoun 49). Half-time: 0-0; Lithuania 1 (Danilevicius 22) bt Faroe Islands 0. Half-time: 1-0; Luxembourg 0 drew with Moldova 0; Malta 0 lost to Hungary 1 (Torghelle 23). Half-time: 0-1; Northern Ireland 4 (Healy 30, McCann 43, Lafferty 56, Davis 74) bt San Marino 0. Half-time: 2-0; Norway 0 lost to Netherlands 1 (Van Bommel 64). Half-time: 0-0; Portugal 0 drew with Albania 0; Republic of Ireland 1 (Keane 5) bt Cyprus 0. Half-time: 1-0; Russia 3 (Pasanen o.g. 22, Semak 65, Arshavin 89) bt Finland 0. Half-time: 1-0; Slovakia 2 (Sestak 85 & 86) bt Poland 1 (Smolarek 70). Half-time: 0-0.