SUCKER PUNCH
Last-gasp agony as Memphis mugs Dragons
GARETH BALE came off the bench to score a late penalty but Wales switched off and suffered last-gasp heartache to Holland for the second successive game.
Holland were a class apart in Rotterdam early on as they looked set to make it 10 wins from 10 games against Wales.
Manchester United target Frenkie de Jong impressed in a holding midfield role with his calmness on the ball and wide passing range.
He helped the hosts race into a 2-0 lead with early goals from Noa Lang and Cody Gakpo.
But Brennan Johnson scored a beauty to halve the deficit before the break in Wales’ final game of five matches in 14 days.
Substitute captain Bale then looked to have earned a point but there was still time for Memphis Depay to bury a winner as Holland triumphed in dramatic fashion, just as they did in Cardiff last week.
It will be a further lesson for boss Rob Page and his squad ahead of the winter’s World Cup. He started with his star duo of Bale and Aaron Ramsey on the bench before bringing them on in the second half.
There was a nice touch from the Dutch crowd as they applauded Wales’ qualification for the World Cup finals before the game.
But the hosts showed Wales no quarter once the contest started. Vincent Janssen had an early shot that Wayne Hennessey comfortably dealt with and the keeper was also indebted to some decent early defending.
The visitors fell behind in the 17th minute when Wes Burns lost the ball on the touchline while attempting to chop back inside. Janssen found Lang, who twisted and turned before firing home a low shot past Hennessey.
Holland doubled their lead six minutes later as Gakpo had a shot blocked but the ball fell kindly for him to bury his next finish.
Wales pulled one back within three minutes after Dan James won the ball high up the pitch before Harry Wilson found Johnson and the Nottingham Forest ace produced a clever right-foot finish into the far corner.
It was impressive stuff from Johnson, whose goal against Belgium earned Wales a point at the weekend. After the restart, Holland remained the dominant side but Johnson tested Jasper Cillessen with a low shot.
Hennessey made saves from Janssen and sub Steven Bergwijn and those looked to be crucial when Connor Roberts was fouled in the box and Bale converted the penalty.
But there was still time for Dutch sub Depay to score to break Wales’ hearts again.
HOLLAND (3-4-3): Cillessen 7; Teze 6 (De Vrij 46, 6), De Ligt 8, Martins Indi 7; Hateboer 6 (Dumfries 46, 6), Koopmeiners 6,
F DE JONG 8, Malacia 6; Janssen 6 (Depay 73), Gakpo 7, Lang 7 (Bergwijn 73).
WALES (3-4-1-2): Hennessey 7; Mepham 7, Rodon 7 (Gunter 67, 6), B Davies 7; Thomas 6, Smith 6 (Ramsey 63, 6), Ampadu 6, Burns 4 (Roberts 46, 7); Wilson 7; Johnson 8, James 6 (Bale 70, 6).
REFEREE: Horatiu Fesnic (Romania) 7.