Bellamy: Penalty miss

My penalty was so bad the keeper nearly dived over it.

Craig Bellamy
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Craig Bellamy believes playing Germany should bring out the best in Wales.

The principality go into Wednesday's World Cup qualifier in a healthy position, sitting second in Group 4, just a point behind the Germans after three games.

But they made heavy weather of their latest win, a 2-0 victory over Liechtenstein at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

But Welsh skipper Bellamy - who played 80 minutes of senior action for the first time in a year on Saturday - believes the side will raise their game for the challenge in Moenchengladbach.

He said: "We can score goals against decent teams, and there is no more a decent side than Germany.

Easier

"It may sound strange, but to play against the bigger, better teams is easier.

"You know what to expect, you know you are going to be up against it and you know you have to be right on top of your game, otherwise it will be a very tough evening for you.

"Games like against Liechtenstein are hard. There's no atmosphere and that is despite the best efforts of our fans to help us, it is hard in a big, empty stadium like that.

"We have to try to generate the atmosphere ourselves. The Millennium Stadium pitch is not the greatest, they don't look after it in the same way.

"Basically it's a rugby pitch and that is a different scenario. And when you get a team like Liechtenstein who sit and defend and leave you with the ball, it's difficult."

Bellamy missed a penalty in the victory, which was incredibly the third time that Wales have failed from the spot in the last three games after Gareth Bale's miss against Russia and Jason Koumas' against Azerbaijan.

The skipper added: "It could have been better, of course, but at the end it's three points for us and that was the aim.

Completely different

"It was my first game for a while and I had forgotten how big a pitch can be. You can do as much training as you want, but games are completely different.

"It was great that the game was against Liechtenstein - no disrespect to them - but for a first competitive game it was ideal for me. It could have gone better but getting through it without a problem was a big bonus for me.

"But Wednesday's game will be very different. There will be a good pitch, it will be a lot quicker and the ball will be moving round a lot more.

"My penalty was so bad the keeper nearly dived over it. It wasn't one of my best moments, but it is not the first penalty I have missed so I'm not going to beat myself up about it.

"It would have been nice to see it go in and if I had been given another go I would have taken it. It's not a problem for me. To be honest, Jason Koumas wanted it and I've got no problem if that is the case next time.

"But for us to miss three in three games is a bit incredible, and whoever takes the next one will feel the pressure big time."

Bellamy was just pleased he got through the game unscathed, adding: "If I'd scored a hat-trick, played well but then pulled up lame, that would have destroyed me. So to come off and feel I am ready to play again on Wednesday is great.

"Hopefully I will get a run of games now and the more I play in the next month the better I will be for the next Wales' game. You only get sharpness from games, and that has a lot to do with the way I play."