Eurovision: The Welsh in Europe

Football, as someone once said, is a funny old game.

For it exists on so many levels.

Take tonight. A Champions League game in my own city. Champions v Champions, East v West. Connah’s Quay Nomads v FK Sarajevo….and of course, that music

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The aspiring journalist in me seized the opportunity to cover this intriguing tie. Would the lads from Connah’s Quay overcome their Bosnian counterparts, or would the Nomads meet their Waterloo in Cardiff.

To the uninitiated amongst you, Connah’s Quay Nomads are the current champions of Wales. The league comprises of robust northern sides, the odd team from around the capital, and a smattering of other clubs scattered across the rest of Wales. Beneath the top tier sits a network of teams from unpronounceable towns and hamlets.                           

Euro restrictions meant that the Nomads’ home venue, the Deeside stadium (500 seats) was deemed unsuitable for this momentous occasion. The club therefore switched the game to the Cardiff City Stadium (33,000 seats), the venue being a Uefa-covid compliant stadium.

Cardiff is probably about as far from Connah’s Quay as it is possible to get, by the way, whilst still remaining in Wales. My search engine tells me it’s a 6/7 hour round trip. Last year the club played at Rhyl’s Belle Vue in the Europa League qualifiers. No wonder they call ‘em the Nomads.

So, we have a football match. Nomads in red, the Bosnians in chilling all black, without so much as a sponsorship logo. Even the coach wore a black suit. My notebook was poised, professionally sectioned off into 6 x 15 minute segments. iPad at the ready.

As I say, though, the evening would carry more weight for me than “who-scored-when- &-where.” The journalist in me checked the nationality of the fourth official. The teenager in me silently noted that this intriguing evening completed my collection of having watched Welsh teams in all three major European competitions, if you include the old Cup Winners Cup, which I do.

The first game I ever attended saw Cardiff City qualify for Europe via the 1968 Welsh Cup Final. Even Real Madrid once came a cropper at Ninian Park, Cardiff.

But it’s not all about the capital. Ask a Newport County fan about Carl Zeiss Jeina, a Barry Town fan about Aberdeen. Swansea, Wrexham, Cwmbran Town and TNS. All have enjoyed spells in the spotlight. Merthyr Tydfil once beat Atalanta. That’s the equivalent of, say, Sutton United beating Roma.

Eerily, the game commenced. Player voices clearly audible in the empty arena, the scouser-like accents of the “home” team competing for domination over the sounds of Sarajevo. Meanwhile, in another time zone, in a galaxy far away, the semi final of last season’s Champions League was still underway, as we witnessed the opening exchanges of this season’s tournament. Or was it next season’s?

Having observed a number of games at JD Premier Cymru level, to give the league its full title, I pretty much knew what to expect. Fitness and finesse would be crucial.

Two minutes into the game, and the Nomads have 11 men behind the ball. “Getting stuck in” would not be an exaggeration. Suddenly though, we have a free kick. 9 men forward! From the free kick, Michael Wilde puts a header inches wide for the North Walians. Coach Andrew Morrison is giving it large on the sideline. Great midfield challenge from Callum Morris. A Bosnian free kick sails over the bar.

After a quarter of an hour, Benjamin Tatar has picked up a lovely through ball to round keeper Lewis Brass in some style. Suddenly the empty arena seems awash with celebrations from Sarajevo. The bouncing Bosnians in the stands (clothed in black) punched the night air wildly.

I was now beginning to recognise this panache from the slick passing Yugoslavians of days gone by. Histrionics from Salcin after a nothing challenge. Yeh, this was more like it…. coach Andy Morrison booked for chopsing after 25 minutes. Assistant Craig Harrison could be next.

The sturdy Sarajevo skipper Mersudin Ahmetovic sticks a hefty (sic) challenge in on Brass as his colleagues continue to tumble under any sign of a challenge from the fully committed Nomads. A wild scythe sends Craig Curran tumbling. He goes down in a manner befitting of any self respecting Bosnian as the challenges and “injuries” explode all around us.

A rasping drive from Callum Roberts heralds some sort of mayhem in the box as scuffles and shouts of “Lino” punctuate the surroundings. Roberts is back defending now with a great challenge then emerges on the other flank to win a free kick. Sarajevo have the ball in the net but it’s ruled out. It’s been stirring stuff as we reach the interval.

Sameron Singh-Dool is introduced for the restart by the Nomads but if you’re expecting regular updates on all the forthcoming Sarajevo substitutions, look away now. FK Sarajevo almost grab a second within seconds. Nomads try their hand at some slick passing but it comes to nothing.

Danny Holmes is catching my eye with some confident touches. Whoops, then concedes a free kick on the edge of the box. Amar Rahmonovic almost makes him pay but his shot is deflected wide. Nomads indulge in more nifty passing moves to inch forward. After 57 minutes they win their first corner, though some shoving in the box renders it fruitless.

The visitors continue to tumble as if their lives depend on it.

On 65 minutes, Tatar again shows his class to fire home a second. It whizzes into the net across the wet surface. It could be a tall order from here boys. Sarajevo now content to roll the ball across the back four.

The Nomads were going down fighting but going down they surely were. They almost squeeze in a chance as a free kick reaches the box on 70 minutes but…..

The visitors were now content to defend with some sturdiness, giant skipper Ahmetovic leading the way from the front, his defensive colleagues repelling anything the Welsh lads could chuck into the box….which wasn’t much now, despite their continued efforts to play it around. Sarajevo add another giant substitute in the shape of Haris Handzic. George Horan fires narrowly over for the Nomads but we see an infringement anyway. It’s not going to happen is it?

Callum Morris continues to direct operations in midfield. He seems to be playing much deeper as we enter the final stages, Nomads almost concede a third.

It had been a bold effort but yes, finesse overcame fervour. The street wise Bosnians knew the ropes too, the streets of Sarajevo being no place for the faint hearted I’ll wager. Dynamo Brest’s 6-3 victory over FC Astana on Monday night means that they will host Sarajevo in the second qualifying round. Connah’s Quay, meanwhile, await a second bite of the Euro Cherry as they slip into the Europa Cup.

Do you know…..I’m quite looking forward to that.

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