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Wales can still qualify automatically for the European Championship, but must beat Turkey
Rob Page’s side are largely disappointed, but still have a chance of qualifying
Aaron Ramsdale’s father has every right to support his son It all starts
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Despite only putting in one impressive performance in the entire qualifying campaign, Wales somehow still have a chance to claim an automatic spot at the 2024 Euros.
If they beat Turkey on Tuesday and Croatia fail to beat Armenia, Wales will finish second behind the Turks and reach next summer’s final without the need for a play-off.
As poor as they were in Saturday’s 1-1 draw in Armenia, Wales are a very different proposition at home. In front of one of the most passionate crowds in international sport, Rob Page’s team will feel like anything is possible, especially as Turkey has already qualified.
Still, the chances that Croatia – who lost in Cardiff last month – will mess up against Armenia appear slim. Even Page appeared to acknowledge that Wales’ most likely route to a third straight major tournament would be via the play-offs next spring, which they will almost certainly qualify for thanks to their results in the last Nations League campaign.
“We have to pick ourselves up and end Tuesday with a performance,” he said. “We’re looking forward to finishing with momentum and if it’s a play-off in March, we’ll take that.”
Rob Page’s Wales team have suffered a disappointing qualification but can still qualify automatically for next year’s European Championships
Wales must bounce back from their recent disappointing draw against Armenia to beat Turkey and give themselves a chance to finish second in their qualifying group
Dan James and Brennan Johnson were left out of the starting XI in Yerevan as Page continued to rely on the formula that shook off Croatia, but both are certain to return this week. Johnson is settling in at Tottenham following his £47million move from Nottingham Forest last summer, but has not scored for his country since June 2022. Wales need him now to break that duck.
“Unfortunately, it’s out of our control now,” Page said. ‘With a win we would have all been enthusiastic and looking forward to Tuesday’s match and with a (further) win we could have qualified.
“It hasn’t materialized the way we would like, but that’s life and we have to move on with it.”
Tottenham star Brennan Johnson (right) has not scored for his country since June 2022 and Wales will need him against Turkey on Tuesday
In front of one of the most passionate crowds in international sport, Wales will feel like anything is possible
Without that result and performance against Croatia, Page would now be under a lot of pressure.
The players rallied around their manager last month after Welsh FA chief executive Noel Mooney suggested his job was under review and the response to Mooney’s comments meant Page would be safe until at least the play-offs.
But apart from that exciting performance against Croatia, Wales have been disappointing since being eliminated in the group stages of the World Cup in Qatar last winter.
It felt like a change had been made last month, but the draw in Yerevan raised all the old questions. Whatever the final group standings, a win over Turkey would provide a much-needed change of momentum for Page and his team.