Kazakhstan faces a narrow defeat by Wales, bolstering their World Cup aspirations
In a thrilling encounter in Astana, Kazakhstan, Wales emerged victorious, securing their second win in Group J of the World Cup 2022 qualification. The Wrexham striker scored the only goal for Wales midway through the first half, a strike that proved to be the decisive moment in the match.
Despite a late free-kick by Serikzhan Muzhikov for Kazakhstan that hit the crossbar, the visiting team held on to their lead, leaving them provisionally in first place in Group J with 10 points from five games. This victory comes after a disappointing loss to Belgium in June, where Wales suffered a 4-3 defeat away from home.
Meanwhile, Belgium is expected to extend their winning streak when they face Liechtenstein, with the away team taking the field in Vaduz. Liechtenstein, who are yet to secure a point in the qualifiers, will be hoping for an upset, but the Red Devils are favourites to claim another victory.
In other fixtures, the European champions, Spain, will be playing away in Bulgaria as they start their qualifying campaign. Germany will also be on the road, facing Slovakia, while the Netherlands will host Poland in a highly anticipated match.
All these matches, along with those for Spain, Germany, and the Netherlands, are scheduled for Thursday. It's an exciting week ahead in Group J, with each team eager to claim valuable points and secure their place in the World Cup 2022.
As it stands, Wales are at the top of the table, with North Macedonia in second place, two points behind and with a game in hand. Belgium are in third place with four points from only two outings, while Kazakhstan and Liechtenstein are yet to open their account. The race for the top spot in Group J is heating up, and the coming weeks promise to be full of drama and unpredictable results.
