Eyes of the World on Cardiff as Ukraine set up World Cup showdown with Wales

Ukraine’s triumph over the Scots at a highly-charged Hampden Park this week has set up a mouth-watering ‘winner takes all’ clash at the Cardiff City Stadium on Sunday evening.

Goals from Andriy Yarmolenko and Roman Yaremchuk put the visitors into a 2-0 lead in Glasgow. Celtic skipper Callum McGregor gave the hosts late optimism with a goal on 79 minutes, but Artem Dovbyk clinched a famous victory in the final moments.

Visiting coach Oleksandr Petrakov dedicated the emotional events to the people of Ukraine, who have endured so much this year in events far more important than football.

The Ukrainians now move on to Cardiff to face another emotional occasion. Worldwide backing and sympathy will encourage Petrakov’s men in South Wales, though how much this will count for at 5.00 pm when proceedings kick-off is another matter.

The Cardiff City Stadium is completely sold out for this crunch play-off encounter and the Welsh fans will do their best to roar their own men over the line to reach the finals of the World Cup for the first time since 1958.

Wales will look to their usual favourites to deliver the goods on Sunday with the likes of Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey carrying the nation’s hopes, despite their indifferent recent form and fortunes at club level. Media talk in Wales has carried strong rumours that Bale – who was awarded the MBE in the recent Queen’s Honours List – will join his hometown club Cardiff City on a short-term deal if Wales make it to the finals in Qatar.

Manchester City’s Oleksandr Zinchenko was Man of the Match in Glasgow and will once again look to pull the strings on Sunday. The Welsh midfield will work hard to gain the upper hand with Swansea target Joe Allen set for an important night. Expect important contributions too from the new generation of Welsh heroes such as Forest’s Brennan Johnson and Neco Williams, who has spent the season on loan at Fulham from Liverpool.

Away fans will comprise up to 5% of the attendance on Sunday and a small number of free tickets could be made available given to Ukrainian refugees. The Welsh government is believed to be helping the FAW identify refugees who have fled the conflict in Ukraine.

The Football Association of Wales (FAW) has also invited the Ukrainian ambassador to the game.

There will be plenty of goodwill for the visitors on Sunday then but Wales fans will hope that all charitable thoughts are put firmly to bed come kick-off time on Sunday as Wales look to join England, USA and Iran in Group B in Qatar in November.

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