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European Championship | Qualifiers
Nov 16, 2014 at 5pm UK
 
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Live Commentary: Belgium 0-0 Wales - as it happened

:Headline: Live Commentary: Belgium 0-0 Wales - as it happened: ID:188562: from db_amp
Read Sports Mole's live coverage to relive the Euro 2016 qualifier in Brussels as table-toppers Wales hang on for a crucial point against Group B favourites Belgium.

Wales travelled to Belgium for their fourth Euro 2016 qualifier top of Group B and still unbeaten.

That record is still intact after they hung on for a valuable point against the group favourites, who remain three points behind Chris Coleman's side in the table.

Read how this evening's game in Brussels unfolded in our minute-by-minute updates below.

Afternoon folks! This is one of nine Euro 2016 qualifiers today and arguably the tastiest as Wales take on Belgium. Let's get to the team news.
BELGIUM XI: Courtois; Vanden Borre, Alderweireld, Lombaerts, Vertonghen; Witsel, Fellaini, De Bruyne; Chadli, Hazard; Origi
WALES XI: Hennessey; Gunter, Chester, Williams, Taylor; Ledley, Allen; Cotterill, Ramsey, Bale; Robson-Kanu
Starting with the hosts, there's three changes to the side that beat Iceland 3-1 in an international friendly on Wednesday. Out go Premier League trio Moussa Dembele, Adnan Januzaj and Christian Benteke, with Kevin De Bruyne, Nacer Chadli and Divock Origi coming in.
Wales haven't been in action yet this international break, but they, like Belgium, have three changes from their last outing - a 2-1 win over Cyprus. Joe Allen and Aaron Ramsey are fit again, while David Cotterill also starts. Andy King is suspended after he was sent off against the Cypriots.
REFEREE WATCH! The officials this evening are from the Czech Republic, with 37-year-old Pavel Kralovec the main man with the whistle.
Looking at the Welsh team today, it's a near full-strength side that Chris Coleman has put out. The stars are Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey, but the return to fitness of Joe Allen is also a huge boost. The one area where the Welsh are a little light is in attack, with Sam Vokes and Simon Church both out injured. Hal Robson-Kanu, usually a winger, will lead the line, but expect much of the attacking impetus to come from Bale.
In fact, Bale and Ramsey have scored nine of Wales's last 10 goals on the road - a run dating back to October 2009. That just shows how important the duo are, especially away from home.

So Wales are nearly at full-strength, but what about the Belgians? Marc Wilmots's squad is certainly one filled with talent, but he is without his captain Vincent Kompany today because of a calf injury.
The toughest decision for Wilmots would have arguably been up front. He tends to only play one striker and has three excellent, powerful options at his disposal. This evening he's opted for Liverpool's Origi, currently on loan in France with former club Lille, over Romelu Lukaku of Everton and Aston Villa's Christian Benteke. Origi certainly overshadowed Lukaku at the World Cup, but the latter will still be disappointed not be his country's number-one option in attack.
With Kompany out, Southampton's Toby Alderweireld will play at centre-back for the home side. Usually a right-back for his country, he'll shift a bit more centrally and in Kompany's absence, maybe Jan Vertonghen will be the loudest voice of the Belgian back four. Here's the latter catching up with former Spurs teammate Bale.

While Wales have Bale, Belgium's superstar is without a doubt Eden Hazard. The Chelsea man has been in fine form for the Blues this year, completing more successful dribbles than any other player in Europe's top five leagues, according to WhoScored.com.
Interestingly, Hazard and Bale have been the subject of recent rumours suggesting that they could potentially swap clubs. Madrid are said to have expressed an interest in the Belgian, but who aren't they linked with?! Hazard has been quick to silence the reports.
So Hazard vs. Bale is one key battle today, but where else could this game be won and lost? Central midfield certainly looks interesting, with Ramsey and Allen up against the dynamic, powerful duo of Marouane Fellaini and Axel Witsel. Belgium should see more of the ball, but if Ramsey and Allen can break up play regularly, they might just be able to limit Belgium's chances.
H2H: These two teams know each other quite well as they were in the same group for World Cup 2014 qualifying. Belgium took four points from the two games in that campaign, beating them in Wales before being held to a 1-1 draw due to Ramsey's late equaliser last year. It's worth mentioning that the Red Devils' place in Brazil had already been confirmed. Expect a much more fired-up display today.
Belgium have won four and lost just one of their last seven clashes with Wales, while their recent form is just one defeat in their last 12 games, 10 of which have been victories. That one loss was to eventual finalists Argentina in the World Cup quarter-finals too.

Wales are in good form themselves, though, and certainly will fancy their chances of nicking something in Brussels. Coleman's men have suffered defeat just once in their last eight games, winning four and drawing three in the other seven.
Click here to see how Group B looks ahead of this match and the other games in Cyprus and Israel. As you can see, Wales are top of the group, but they could be third come later tonight. Israel and Belgium also have a game in-hand on Coleman's men.

BOOKING! Allen is booked for a bodycheck on Hazard as Belgium looked to break after a weak shot from Williams at the other end.
BELGIUM SUB: Napoli's Dries Mertens is on for the Red Devils, replacing Origi on the right.
Instant impact by Mertens as he flicks the ball into the path of Benteke, who can't quite bring the ball under control and get off a shot.
Less than 15 minutes to go now and Wales are getting closer and closer to a huge result. Weirdly, I think they have as good a chance scoring now as they have had at any time in the game. With Bale's pace and skill up front, they could be lethal on the counter.
Mertens skies a difficult volley after Williams was only able to clear the ball as far as the winger. He's certainly been involved since coming on.
Vanden Borre seems to be going nowhere but does well to win a corner for the home side. Mertens's delivery is a good one that Benteke meets, but Chester is challenging well and does enough to put him off.
Vertonghen has plenty of space to weigh it up and deliver a cross from the left. Benteke is up and ready to head at goal but teammate Fellaini gets in his way by also challenging for the ball.
Bale is livid with the Czech referee for not awarding him a free kick after Vanden Borre had clearly shoved him to the ground. Benteke has a free header that Hennessey somehow saves, but it was offside.
SAVE! Out of nowhere, Wales have a chance as Bale's clever flick finds Robson-Kanu, whose low strike is parried by Courtois.
BOOKING! George Williams clatters into Mertens and that is a really nasty clash of heads. Kralovec books the Welsh player but that's pretty harsh as he didn't lead with an arm or anything like that.
Mertens certainly came off worse there and it looks like he'll have to come off. Manchester United's Adnan Januzaj is being readied on the touchline.
Mertens is still being attended to just outside the Belgian penalty area. This will cause at least five minutes of injury time I would have thought. It's one of those where Williams maybe shouldn't have gone for it as he was never going to beat Mertens to the ball.
BELGIUM SUB: Mertens is at last carried off on a stretcher. Januzaj on.
It's SIX added minutes that we will play in Brussels. Plenty of time for either side to grab a winner.
Superb from Bale as he wins a header before winning his side a throw-in down the left. Valuable time wasted.
CLOSE! Neat play on the edge of the box from Benteke and Hazard before Januzaj's cross-cum-shot across the six-yard box is cleared from under his own crossbar by Chester.
BOOKING! Hennessey took his time, too much time, with a free kick and is cautioned for time-wasting.
Bale goes for the spectacular from 30 yards and slices it almost out for a corner. That will give the visitors the chance to make a time-wasting change - Robson-Kanu off, Emyr Huws on.
Into the final minute then and Hennessey has the ball after reaching up high to claim Januzaj's deflected cross.
Corner to Belgium...
WHAT A SAVE! Hennessey with a marvellous stop to surely earn Wales a point.
FULL-TIME: BELGIUM 0-0 WALES
What a huge point that is for Wales. They stay top of the group and crucially prevent Belgium from gaining three. Some save at the death from Hennessey as he clawed Benteke's close-range header away.
Wales stay top of the group and will only be displaced if Israel beat Bosnia-Herzegovina at home a little later.
As you can see from our tweet below, Wales now have two wins and two draws this campaign. What a great start they've made.

Anyway, time for us to say goodbye. Thanks for joining us for the action in Brussels. Stick around for plenty of reaction and more Euro 2016 action tonight!
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