Wales finished their historic Euro 2016 qualifying campaign with a 2-0 victory at home to Andorra this evening, but it was not enough for them to top Group B ahead of Belgium.
The Red Dragons, whose ticket to France was secured on Saturday despite defeat in Bosnia, did their part tonight as goals from Aaron Ramsey and Gareth Bale saw off the minnows.
Real Madrid superstar Bale rounded off his tremendous campaign with a seventh goal late on after Arsenal midfielder Ramsey had opened the scoring on 50 minutes with this close-range rebound.
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Ramsey’s goal will be a welcome sight for Arsenal supporters. The 24-year-old is yet to score in 14 appearances for the Gunners this term, after managing 10 in all competitions during 2014-15.
There was an after the Lord Mayor’s show feeling as Andorra, without a point in Group B, visited Cardiff just a few days after Wales had reached their first major tournament since the 1958 World Cup.
Chris Coleman’s side dominated from start to finish, recording 81% possession and 32 shots on goal compared to Andorra’s one, according to BBC Sport, and should have been more emphatic winners.
They had to wait until five minutes into the second half to break the deadlock as Ramsey followed up an Ashley Williams header that was parried back into the danger area for his second goal of the campaign.
Burnley strike Sam Vokes missed a couple of good chances to extend Wales’s lead before Bale, appropriately, had the last word by firing Ramsey’s flukey pass into the bottom corner on 85 minutes.
Despite a sixth win from 10, the Welsh have to settle for second in Group B after Belgium’s 3-1 victory in Israel secured them top spot, and sent them to the summit of the FIFA world rankings.
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