Spain reign at Principality as Giggs’ men are on the wrong end of a hiding
IF Wales want an excuse to stay away from the Principality Stadium, then this was it – on the field of play, anyway.
A three-goal Spanish salvo inside the first 28 minutes condemned Ryan Giggs’ side to a thrashing they won’t be forgetting in a hurry upon their return to their former Millennium home for the first time in seven years.
It was, in fact, the biggest defeat for Wales since Chris Coleman’s side were smashed 6-1 by Serbia in 2012.
In fairness, Spain are so superior to Wales they would probably have dished out this sort of hiding had the game been played just down the road at Cardiff City Stadium, too.
But for those who don’t want to see their team appear at the home of Welsh rugby, this was a result which simply amplified the feeling that the venue is something of a hoodoo ground for the men in red.
It was their fifth defeat on the trot here, they have only scored two goals in that time, and you have to go way back to a 2008 World Cup qualifier with Liechtenstein for the last occasion Wales won here.
That early triple goal whammy from Paco Alcacer (two) and Sergio Ramos did for Wales on this occasion and some fans were singing ‘I wanna go home’ in the second-half before Marc Bartra had made it four - a clear message about their preferred venue.
But, of course, it’s nowhere near as simple as that and the Principality will remain firmly on the table as an option for Giggs and the FAW hierarchy for the next lot of Euro qualifiers.
They drew a hugely-impressive crowd of 50,232 for a Thursday night friendly – almost 20,000 more than could have packed into Cardiff City Stadium. Were it a Saturday match, there may well have been a 74,000 sellout.
These are exciting figures the FAW will take on board and discuss before determining where future games go. The majority of Euro qualifiers will almost certainly be at CCS, but Wales will keep options open about taking bigger opposition to the Principality.
They want as many of the Welsh public as possible to see the national team and the lease at the stadium doesn’t run out until 2030 anyway.
And even though the game was way beyond their team, when Sam Vokes grabbed an 89th-minute consolation the loud was so loud the roof probably almost came off!
The fans inside stayed loyal to the team right to the very end, support Giggs and his players will be grateful for.
There were gaps in the upper tier behind each goal, but the stadium looked majestic come kick-off time and the stirring rendition of the national anthem a cappella style certainly got everyone inside the ground in the mood.
Could this be one of those famous football nights where Wales put the scalp of Spain next to the other gigantic ones of Italy and Germany they had so memorably grabbed at this venue back in 2002?
Sadly, it took the Spanish just 18 minutes to completely banish that dream as they roared into a two-goal lead and, for good measure, netted another one too before the half-hour mark.
This may not be the Spain of Xavi and Iniesta, they may be a side in transition, but they were still far too good for Wales and carved open the five-man backline time and again in those opening exchanges.
That said, Giggs won’t be happy with how any of the goals were conceded.
The first, a snap shot from Alcacer, came with Wayne Hennessey out of position after he had come to punch the ball clear and the defenders in front of him didn’t react as quickly as their Spanish opponents.
Sensing Hennessey trying to back track, Alcacer smashed his shot early into the roof of the net.
The Principality Stadium crowd really tried to get their team going by roaring disapproval at Ramos for going down twice and then howling at the linesman for giving Vokes offside.
It was the type of fervour Wales have become accustomed to at Cardiff City Stadium.
But the bubble burst almost straight away when Ramos was gifted a free header from a Suso freekick and made Wales pay by bulleting the ball into Hennessey’s net.
It’s one thing to be outpassed, even outclassed by the gifted Spanish, another entirely to concede so sloppily from a set-piece.
Giggs would have been left unhappy again in the 28th minute as Spain made it 3-0, Alcacer pouncing upon