Wales suffered a dramatic 4-3 defeat against Belgium in a World Cup qualifier at Stade Roi Baudouin on Monday night, with Kevin De Bruyne scoring the decisive goal in the 88th minute. The Manchester City star latched onto Youri Tielemans’ precise cross to beat goalkeeper Karl Darlow, claiming three points for Belgium in a pulsating Group J encounter. The result saw Wales drop to second in the group standings after North Macedonia’s 1-0 win over Kazakhstan, while Belgium, now three points behind, hold two games in hand.
The match began with Belgium asserting dominance, earning a penalty in the 15th minute when De Bruyne’s shot struck Brennan Johnson’s arm in the Wales penalty area. Romelu Lukaku converted the spot-kick, sending Darlow the wrong way. Four minutes later, Tielemans doubled the lead with a powerful strike into the roof of the net. Jeremy Doku further extended Belgium’s advantage before the half-hour mark, cutting in from the right and firing a left-footed shot past Darlow’s reach, leaving Wales trailing 3-0.
Wales mounted a spirited comeback, starting with a penalty in first-half stoppage time after Matz Sels fouled Chris Mepham in the box. Harry Wilson calmly dispatched the kick to give Wales hope. Six minutes into the second half, Sorba Thomas capitalised on a flowing team move, finishing Wilson’s accurate pass to make it 3-2. Johnson then levelled the score in the 69th minute, heading in a redirected cross from Thomas, sparking belief in a remarkable turnaround for Craig Bellamy’s side.
Belgium, led by Rudi Garcia, responded resiliently. Lukaku thought he had won it in the 82nd minute, but his potential 90th international goal was disallowed as the ball had gone out of play. De Bruyne ultimately settled the seven-goal thriller, ending Wales’ hopes of extending their unbeaten run under Bellamy, who had aimed to match Mark Hughes’ record of 10 consecutive undefeated matches set between 2001 and 2003.
Wales now face crucial upcoming fixtures to regain momentum in their World Cup qualification campaign, with Group J remaining fiercely competitive.
