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Poland beat Wales on penalties to qualify for Euro 2024 / Photo: © AFP
Poland beat Wales on penalties to qualify for Euro 2024
Poland denied Wales a place at a third consecutive European Championship on penalties after the sides could not be separated in a tense 0-0 draw in Cardiff on Tuesday.
Leeds winger Dan James was the only player to fail to score in the shootout as Poland's five perfect spot-kicks earned them a place alongside France, the Netherlands and Austria in Group D at Euro 2024.
Wales' new generation, shorn of the talismanic presence of the retired Gareth Bale, came up short by the finest of margins in heartbreaking fashion for the home fans at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Rob Page's men had a goal ruled out for offside in first-half stoppage time and were denied by a brilliant Wojciech Szczesny save to turn away Kieffer Moore's header early in the second period.
Despite possessing the threat of Barcelona star Robert Lewandowski up front, Poland failed to register a single shot on target in the 120 minutes.
However, the visitors found their range from the spot as Lewandowski, Sebastian Szymanski, Przemyslaw Frankowski, Nicola Zalewski and Krzysztof Piatek confidently fired home.
James had to score to keep his country in it, but Szczesny was the hero once more as he dived low to his right to send Poland to a fifth consecutive Euros.
Only once before have they managed to get out of the group stages of the European Championship, reaching the quarter-finals in 2016.
Michal Probierz's side have a daunting task ahead in Germany but will be relieved just to have escaped Cardiff with a place in the finals in June.
Q.Nelson--SFF
