Wales will host Gibraltar in a friendly before their Euro 2024 qualifiers over the next couple of weeks. At a time when the Dragons have struggled for victories, Gibraltar are currently on a six-match losing streak.
Preview (Wales vs. Gibraltar)
There have been some calls for Wales manager Robert Page to step down. It comes less than a year after the squad participated in a World Cup. This is because the team is undergoing significant change as a result of Gareth Bale’s retirement. The 1-1 draw in March in Croatia gave hope that this group may stay at the top. The loss to Armenia at home gave the opposite impression. Wales presently leads Group D by three points. Page’s team has only beaten Latvia and still has games against the teams above them. On Sunday, there will be a home match against Croatia as part of that program.
Wales realistically needs all three points from a game because if they lose. They risk missing out on at least a playoff berth. Wales defeated Latvia on foreign soil in September. This is a team that is without two of their main players. South Korea and Latvia were both friendly matches, and Wales achieved a morale-boosting draw with South Korea. Gibraltar’s Euro 2024 qualifying group included France, the Netherlands, Greece, and the Republic of Ireland. It made it difficult for Gibraltar to earn a point. That impression has thus far shown to be accurate. Julio Cesar Ribas’ club has lost five games in a row while giving up 17 goals.
Team News
Page can ill-afford to take too many chances on his important players in this game, as Aaron Ramsey and Brennan Johnson are already absent from the Wales squad due to injuries. While Connor Roberts might continue to play wingback and Ben Davies might serve as the team’s captain, David Brooks might start in the attacking third. Regan Poole and Owen Beck are set to make their debuts, while Josh Sheehan might play in midfield if Jordan James is saved for the Croatia game, but the rest of the team may be inexperienced. Cesar Ribas might play this game at full strength despite the home match against the Republic of Ireland five days later in an effort to get one of their most memorable victories ever.
Niels Hartman’s absence from the squad would allow Jayce Olivero to fill in at right-back, but it’s possible that the rest of the lineup would remain the same. If the defender is given his Wales debut, it is possible that Wycombe Wanderers forward Tjay De Barr may face off against a club teammate, Joe Low. This game might be tighter than many are anticipating since Page is trying to achieve a balance with the players he will employ on Wednesday night. However, we still anticipate Wales to record a crucial victory before their match against Croatia.
Wales 2 – 0 Gibraltar
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