Wales' 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign hit a significant setback with the news that both key midfielders, Ethan Ampadu and Jordan James, will miss Tuesday's decisive final group game against North Macedonia due to being handed their second yellow cards of the campaign.
The situation took a turn for the worse when Ampadu received his second warning in Liechtenstein on Saturday night, leading to a five-game ban. This decision has left Wales on high alert and scrambling to find suitable replacements.
Ampadu expressed disappointment and frustration over the decision, stating that he had not made contact with North Macedonian player and was simply trying to win the ball back. Despite this, his actions were deemed sufficient by the match officials, and a five-game ban was handed out as punishment.
Jordan James was also booked in Liechtenstein for a similar incident, but unlike Ampadu, it will not lead to any suspension. Both players' absence in the crucial North Macedonia game has raised concerns about the ability of Wales to secure the necessary points to finish second in Group J and qualify directly for the World Cup.
Former Wales captain Ashley Williams defended his fellow midfielder, stating that he had every right to go for the ball in such a situation. Meanwhile, assistant coach Piet Cremers assured fans that the team will adapt to the absence of James and Ampadu, emphasizing their ability to create opportunities and stay patient in the face of adversity.
This latest setback has raised questions about Wales' World Cup ambitions, as they now face an uphill battle without two key players. Can they overcome this hurdle and secure the points needed to advance? Only time will tell.
The situation took a turn for the worse when Ampadu received his second warning in Liechtenstein on Saturday night, leading to a five-game ban. This decision has left Wales on high alert and scrambling to find suitable replacements.
Ampadu expressed disappointment and frustration over the decision, stating that he had not made contact with North Macedonian player and was simply trying to win the ball back. Despite this, his actions were deemed sufficient by the match officials, and a five-game ban was handed out as punishment.
Jordan James was also booked in Liechtenstein for a similar incident, but unlike Ampadu, it will not lead to any suspension. Both players' absence in the crucial North Macedonia game has raised concerns about the ability of Wales to secure the necessary points to finish second in Group J and qualify directly for the World Cup.
Former Wales captain Ashley Williams defended his fellow midfielder, stating that he had every right to go for the ball in such a situation. Meanwhile, assistant coach Piet Cremers assured fans that the team will adapt to the absence of James and Ampadu, emphasizing their ability to create opportunities and stay patient in the face of adversity.
This latest setback has raised questions about Wales' World Cup ambitions, as they now face an uphill battle without two key players. Can they overcome this hurdle and secure the points needed to advance? Only time will tell.
ampadu's situation just shows how harsh yellow cards can be in world cup qualifying matches... 5 games out of a possible 12 is crazy! i feel for james too, getting booked but not suspended is a bit weird. wales are gonna have to really dig deep and find some new energy on the field 
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This is a disaster! I mean, I get it, red cards are serious business, but 5 games for just trying to win the ball back?! 
It's like they're sending out mixed signals. And now, with these two key players out, Wales' chances of making it to the World Cup look really bleak 
. I'm loving Ashley Williams' 'he had every right to go for it' vibe tho 
... but come on, UEFA needs to reevaluate their rules 
. Can't they see how this is affecting the teams and fans? It's like they're just trying to ruin the excitement of the game 
. Anyways, fingers crossed for Wales, but I'm not holding my breath right now 
. Five games is a big chunk of time, especially in a crucial World Cup qualifying campaign. It's like, you get the warning, fine, but a ban? That's harsh 
.
!
. They're gonna have to find some decent midfielders ASAP or they'll be stuck in group stage purgatory. 
...
it's like the ref's are trying to make things harder for them already...i mean come on guys, can't they just get some luck for once? 
i feel 4 them both they deserve a second chance tho 
maybe wales can pull off a comeback? 
and Piet's got wales' back, let's keep positive vibes
Can't even imagine how tough this must be for them 
I'm literally shaking for Wales rn! 
. The thing is, even though Ashley Williams is defending them, it's hard not to see their actions and think "oh no" 
. But, I guess you can't predict that on the fly 
.
omg what a bummer for wales... i was really rooting for them to qualify directly 
the five-game ban is kinda harsh tho, i mean ethan was just trying to win the ball back 
. But I think Ashley Williams was spot on when he said they should've just tried to win the ball back, like Ampadu did - it's not rocket science