FIVE-STAR WALES GIVE CENTURION BALE NIGHT TO REMEMBER
won 1-0 in Estonia last month.
Kieffer Moore, Wales’ match-winner in Tallinn, was suspended and Chris Mepham and Sorbal Thomas also dropped out as Davies and Williams came in.
Wales went into the game with no fewer than seven players in their matchday squad one yellow card away from suspension and missing the Belgium game.
In the event, Ethan Ampadu was the only player to receive a second caution and will miss out tomorrow.
Sergei Chernik had been at fault for Bale’s last-gasp winner in Kazan two months ago and the Belarus goalkeeper carried on from where he had left off inside two minutes.
Davies’ excellent volley from the edge of the area should have been safely gathered, but Chernik spilled it and the lurking Ramsey tapped home into an empty net.
Bale’s long throw almost punished Belarus when Roberts latched on to the loose ball and fired just wide of the far post
But Wales did double their lead after 20 minutes with another helping hand from the hapless Chernik.
Bale found Williams and the Liverpool full-back squeezed his shot in at the near post, with Chernik fumbling the ball over the line.
Belarus were maybe fortunate not to be reduced to 10 men when Nikolai Zolotov jumped into Davies and proceeded to catch him flush in the face.
Zolotov escaped with a yellow card and Wales remained in control for the rest of the half without worrying Chernik.
Bale failed to reappear for the second half and, with their captain off, Ramsey took the armband and also penalty-taking duties when Ruslan Yudenkov handled five minutes after the break.
The Juventus midfielder sent Chernik the wrong way for his 20th Wales goal, moving him past Craig Bellamy into sixth place on the alltime scoring list.
Williams almost added a brilliant fourth before Davies marked his 68th cap with his first Wales goal, the ball going in off his shoulder from a Harry Wilson corner.
Belarus substitute Artem Kontsevoi claimed a fine consolation three minutes from time, but Roberts had the last word as Wales scored more than four for the first time since beating China 6-0 in March 2018.