England euro shirt away
Qualifying for UEFA Euro 2000 noticed a new file of 49 teams divided into 9 teams; with Belgium and the Netherlands qualifying robotically as hosts, the nine group winners and the best runner-up certified automatically, whereas the opposite eight runners-up went into play-offs for the 4 remaining spots within the finals. The winners of every group qualified automatically, together with the six best runners-up, while the opposite two would contest a play-off for the remaining place within the finals. Two weeks later, Gil Reece and Leighton James once more gave Wales a 2-0 first-half lead away to Luxembourg, just for Paul Philipp to tug a goal again for the home facet with a penalty six minutes earlier than half-time; nonetheless, James scored with one other penalty within the 83rd minute to confirm a 3-1 win for Wales and arrange a winner-takes-all match against Austria at the Racecourse Floor in Wrexham on the ultimate matchday.
An away win over Belarus meant ending as runners-up was nonetheless possible with one match left, however Denmark’s comeback win over Italy on the penultimate matchday ended that prospect, and defeat to Switzerland in their closing match meant Wales completed in fourth place. Despite an opening defeat at home to Italy (performed at Anfield in Liverpool attributable to the continued building of the Millennium Stadium), wins away to Denmark and at residence to Belarus put Wales in second place going into their fourth match towards Switzerland; however, consecutive defeats away to Switzerland and Italy, and at house to Denmark noticed Wales drop to fourth place and out of contention to win the group. With Italy qualifying mechanically as hosts, the 31 remaining collaborating nations were divided into seven teams, with only the winners qualifying for the finals. Wales had been drawn in Group 2 in qualifying for UEFA Euro 1976, together with Hungary, Austria and Luxembourg; it was the primary time they had met Austria or Luxembourg competitively, and their first meeting with Hungary since qualifying for the 1964 European Nations’ Cup. Vice-President Michel Barnier welcomes main milestone for the inner payments market with the migration to SEPA (Single Euro Payments Area).
Vadim Evseev gave Russia a 1-0 win in Cardiff, prolonging Wales’ wait to qualify for a first main tournament since the 1958 World Cup. They had been seconds away from qualification when a winning goal by Ljubomir Radanović for Yugoslavia throughout injury time in the final sport of qualifying group four towards Bulgaria eradicated Wales. Wales’ first game was towards Romania at Ninian Park on 11 November 1970 and finished as a goalless draw. The second recreation on sixteen June noticed Wales play England in Lens; again, Bale opened the scoring from a free kick just before half-time, however a aim from Jamie Vardy 10 minutes into the second half and an harm-time winner from Daniel Sturridge noticed England transfer a point forward of Wales at the highest of the group. Wales started their campaign away to Austria on 4 September 1974 and took the lead by means of Arfon Griffiths with 10 minutes left in the first half; nonetheless, Wilhelm Kreuz and Hans Krankl each scored within the second half to offer Austria a 2-1 win.
Toshack scored once more within the return fixture at the Vetch Subject on thirteen October 1971; Alan Durban and Gil Reece also scored to offer Wales a 3-zero win and an opportunity at qualification if they may choose up away wins over Czechoslovakia and Romania of their final two games. Wales had been once more seeded in Pot 2, and drawn into Group 6 with Denmark, spain euro shirt Czechoslovakia and Finland. Wales were seeded in Pot 4 and drawn into Group 1 together with Italy, Denmark, Switzerland and Belarus. Wales were paired with Romania, Czechoslovakia and Finland in Group 1; it was their first assembly with Romania and Finland, and the first time they’d been drawn with Czechoslovakia since qualifying for the 1958 World Cup. Nonetheless, a 1-0 win for Czechoslovakia in Prague on 27 October put Wales out of contention, and a 2-zero win for Romania in Bucharest on 24 November meant Wales completed the group in third place. As they had achieved four years earlier, Wales went unbeaten in their first 4 matches, with attracts away to Finland and at house to Czechoslovakia, and house wins over Finland and Denmark; that put them high of the group, ahead of Denmark on purpose difference ahead of the 2 sides’ decisive match in Copenhagen in October 1987. Victory for Wales would have sent them to the finals, however Preben Elkjær gave Denmark a 1-zero win, which left Wales needing to beat Czechoslovakia in the final group match to retake high spot; nonetheless, targets from Ivo Knoflíček and Michal Bílek gave Czechoslovakia a 2-zero win and Wales finished in third place.