Spain, Italy cruise to wins as Wales held in equaliser
WALES conceded an agonising late equaliser as Serbia battled to a 1-1 draw in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday as former champions Italy and Spain both won 4-0.
Earlier, the Republic of Ireland stunned Austria 1-0 in Vienna and are top of Group D on 10 points, with Serbia second on eight and Wales third on six.
Gareth Bale rocketed Wales into a 30th-minute lead in Cardiff after Hal Robson-Kanu dispossessed Matija Nastasic and fed the ball to the Real Madrid forward, who cracked home a powerful snap shot to make it 1-0.
But Aleksander Mitrovic was fastest to react with four red shirts around him when Antonio Rukavina whipped in an inviting cross to level for the visitors late in the game.
“It was a disappointing result, we feel like we threw away two points. We’re at home, 1-0 up after 85 minutes, it’s two points lost,” Bale said.
Just moments before Serbia had levelled, Bale had seen a snap shot come agonisingly back off the post.
Wales coach Chris Coleman said: “We are four points behind Ireland but we play them twice. We have a massive chance. Tonight the boys deserved all three points.”
It was the third game in a row the Welsh have gone ahead only to draw.
“Today we can be happy with one point,” Serbia captain Branislav Ivanovic said.
The Irish top Group D thanks to a James McClean strike three minutes after half time in Vienna.
“This is going to be a very tight finish. But this has been a splendid start for us and we are delighted with the 10 points,” Ireland boss Martin O’Neill said.
Spain and Italy continue to set the pace at the helm in Group G and both have Macedonia’s34th Spain minute10 points. played own Darko goalat Velkovskibefore Granada Votolo scored whereon a 63 veteran minutes, striker Nacho Aritz MonrealAduriz (85) (83) gaveand them Takinga comfortableon minnows win. Liechtenstein, Italy’s Anfrea Belotti scored either side of strikes from Ciro Imobile and Antonio Candreva.
Eran Zahavi converted an 18thminute penalty to set Israel on their way with Dan Einbinder and Eliran Atar making sure they beat Albania 3-0 in Tirana.
Iceland failed to replicate their Euro 2016 heroics in a 2-0 defeat in Croatia in Group I.
Croatia grabbed the lead after 15 minutes through Inter Milan midfielder Marcelowho both Despitetook halves, Brozovic,control having Iceland after plentybut failed thatit of wasto in the Zagreb.make Icelandball thein crucialinjury And the time, breakthrough.home Brozovicside punishedagain doing them thein damage Croatia, againstnow top the of run the of groupplay. with 10 points from four games, finished the match with 10 men after Ivan Perisic was sent off at the death. Also in Group I, Turkey revived their slim hopes of making it to Russia in 2018 with a 2-0 home victory over Kosovo in Antalya leaving Kosovo bottom on just a solitary point. Georgia and Moldova played out a 1-1 draw in Tbilisi to remain rooted in the bottom two spots in Group D. – AFP