Heartbreak for fans but ‘Wales still did us proud’
WALES’ first World Cup adventure for 64 years came to a heartbreaking end last night as they crashed out with a 3-0 loss to England.
Their final group match was a “must-win” encounter for the men in red following a draw with USA and a loss to Iran in their previous games.
But there was to be no fairytale ending on a difficult night in Doha, which left fans at home and abroad gutted.
In fanzones in Cardiff and Penarth, and across Wales and beyond, as these pictures show the disappointment was etched on the faces of supporters.
Yet throughout the day – as they have done throughout the tournament – Wales’ loyal fans showed yet again why they’re among the best in the world, supporting a team that had already done them proud by qualifying for the World Cup for the first time since 1958.
In Doha, the Welsh fans were in fine voice before the game.
Wales fan Huw Godfrey, 50, and England supporter Amy Godfrey, who married after meeting in London 25 years ago, joked they will still be on speaking terms whatever the result.
“The children are never quite sure ‘do we support England, do we support Wales’,” Amy said.
Wales supporter Mike Gristwood, 52, from Swansea, said he and his friends were feeling “slightly nervous” ahead of the match but said they would be “singing our hearts out”.
England fan Ian Carter, 45, who lives in Llanelli, was heading to the game with his Wales-supporting nephew James Millar and father-inlaw Paul Jones after the trio flew in from Dubai.
On the decision to travel to Qatar, Mr Carter said: “It was over the breakfast table and we said ‘sod it, shall we just go?’ and it was a case of you’ve got the missus to talk to and stuff, but it was an easy decision – being from a Welsh and English mix, for us it was a perfect storm.”
Elsewhere, Chief Constable Mark Roberts, the UK’s football policing lead, told the PA news agency there had been no arrests or incidents in the opening nine days of the tournament and praised Wales and England fans for their “exemplary” behaviour.
He said the lack of trouble at the Qatar World Cup, which he believed was in large part due to alcohol being less available, was a sign that ministers should resist calls to ease restrictions on drinking in UK football grounds.