Coleman proud of hard-won Welsh point
Wales boss Chris Coleman was proud of his players following last night’s 1-1 World Cup qualifying draw in Serbia.
Coleman’s side, without the suspended Gareth Bale, were heading for victory as Aaron Ramsey fired the visitors ahead from the penalty spot in the 35th minute following a foul on Sam Vokes in the area.
But, like he did in Cardiff back in November, Newcastle striker Aleksandar Mitrovic denied Wales victory by netting a 73rd-minute equaliser.
Coleman said: “It was a great point. We were 1-0 up, they huffed and puffed but they were not peppering Wayne Hennessey.
“Over the 90 minutes, we had the better chances and the gameplan worked to a tee.
“We are not going to come here and play open football. We did that before and know what happened.”
Wales’ draw, their fifth in Group D, has left them four points behind Serbia and Ireland with four matches left.
But Coleman is confident Wales can make up the deficit as they aim for a top-two finish. “It is an exciting group,” Coleman added.
“I know people look at our four points with four to play, can we bridge that gap? Absolutely. One hundred per cent we can bridge that gap. We are looking forward to the challenges left in his campaign.”
Ramsey evoked the echoes of the past with a Panenka penalty. At the same stadium where Czechoslovakia’s Antonin Panenka scored the winning goal in a shoot-out against West Germany in the 1976 European Championship final, Ramsey was the coolest man in the ground as he chipped his penalty past Stojkovic, who had dived into the opposite corner.
But, 17 minutes from time, sub Aleksandar Prijovic broke behind the defence and his pass allowed Mitrovic to skip past Ashley Williams to score.
Wales: Hennessey, Gunter, Chester, Williams, Davies, Richards, Allen, Edwards (Huws 73), Ledley, Ramsey, Vokes (Lawrence 85). Subs not used: Fon Williams, Jones, James, Evans, Wilson, Lockyer, Walsh, Bradshaw, Watkins, Ward. Booked: Allen, Richards..