Highlights: Belgium and Wales play out a thriller in Brussels

Dafydd Pritchard
BBC Sport Wales in Brussels

Wales sensationally stormed back from three goals down to level with Belgium in Brussels, only for Kevin de Bruyne's late winner to inflict an absurdly dramatic first defeat on Craig Bellamy and knock his team off the top of their World Cup qualifying group.

The freewheeling home side were 3-0 up after just 27 minutes. Romelu Lukaku put them in front from the penalty spot before Youri Tielemans stylishly finished off an incisive team move, and Jeremy Doku feigned, jinked and fired into the bottom corner for the Belgians' third.

Wales were staring into the abyss of a first loss since a 4-0 thrashing by Slovakia exactly one year earlier cost previous manager Rob Page his job, and the scoreline suggested this could become a heavy one.

But Wales are a different team under Bellamy, and they responded brilliantly to a bleak situation as Harry Wilson's penalty moments before half-time gave them a glimmer of hope.

They truly started to believe an improbable comeback was on when Wilson's excellent cross set up Sorba Thomas to fire in his first Wales goal, and then Brennan Johnson headed in an equaliser to spark spectacular celebrations in a raucous away end.

Yet just as Welsh fans were dreaming of another famous result against the nation they so memorably beat in a Euro 2016 quarter-final - particularly after the video assistant referee (VAR) disallowed a Lukaku second - De Bruyne popped up at the back post to score.

Then it was the Belgians' turn to celebrate wildly, the sense of relief palpable as they survived what would have been a revival for the ages.

Despite their monumental effort, Wales slip down to second place in Group J, replaced at the summit by North Macedonia following their win in Kazakhstan earlier on Monday.

Wales fall short in biggest Bellamy test

Bellamy has transformed Wales during his first year in charge, with a bold new style of play and an ambitious mindset to match - both of which were abundantly clear on a night of staggering twists and turns in Brussels.

Avoiding defeat would have seen Wales equal the longest unbeaten run in their history, a 10-game stretch between October 2001 and March 2003.

But as impressive as their turnaround had been under Bellamy, they had not yet met a team of Belgium's quality.

The 2018 World Cup semi-finalists had endured a shaky run of form by their standards, with Friday's 1-1 draw in North Macedonia leaving them with one win in eight games in all competitions.

However, Belgium are still ranked eighth in the world - 21 places above Wales - and boast a squad of enviable talent and depth, illustrated by the fact they were able to recall Aston Villa midfielders Tielemans and Amadou Onana and Arsenal forward Leandro Trossard for this encounter.

Their myriad attacking weapons were on full display in the first half, with Tielemans and De Bruyne orchestrating in midfield while Doku offered devastating pace and trickery out wide.

Bellamy 'proud' of Wales' effort

It was De Bruyne's shot which hit Johnson's arm to earn the penalty for Belgium's opening goal, while the departing Manchester City playmaker had a hand in Tielemans' expertly crafted second.

Wales should have known what Doku is capable of from his displays for City, never mind the fact that Bellamy used to coach him at Anderlecht, but the visitors passively allowed him to cut inside and find the bottom corner, despite a hand from Welsh keeper Karl Darlow.

This was only the second time Wales had trailed under Bellamy, and the first time by more than one goal.

Lesser teams might have subsided in the face of such torrential Belgian pressure, but Wales stood up to the challenge.

They got their route back into the game when Chris Mepham was taken out by Belgium goalkeeper Matz Sels at a corner, and Wilson was unfazed by a long VAR check as he buried his penalty for a sixth goal in eight international matches.

That was one of the final acts of the first half and, although Belgium had chances to restore their lead either side of the interval, Wales continued their resurgence.

Wilson raced up the right wing and showed fine vision and awareness to not only see Thomas on the opposite flank but to find him with a pinpoint low cross, which the winger finished first time to score his first international goal.

While the 4,500 or so rowdy Welsh fans rediscovered their voice, a sense of panic spread through the home crowd.

The game was played at a blistering pace, both teams hurling bodies forward and leaving spaces behind, leading to numerous chances.

Things only got crazier when Johnson nodded in after Thomas had headed Wilson's cross back across goal, prompting Wales supporters to take off their shirts, swing them around their heads and sing "Don't take me home".

That party atmosphere was punctured when Lukaku bundled in what looked to be a late winner, only for VAR to disallow it after a long check.

But Wales' reprieve did not last long as they failed to deal with a corner and the ball was swung from the right flank to the back post, where De Bruyne had been allowed to wander unmarked to apply an emphatic finish.

It was an agonising way for Wales to lose, but the manner of their performance will surely give Bellamy reason to believe they are more than capable of matching Belgium when they meet again in the autumn, both teams vying for top spot and automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

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