Chris Coleman happy to wait for Wales' Euro qualification party
Monday 7 September 2015 14:31, UK
Chris Coleman has promised long-suffering Wales fans that Euro 2016 qualification will be completed next month.
The Welsh failed to claim the three points needed to reach the finals in France next summer when Israel held them to a goalless draw in Cardiff on Sunday afternoon.
Coleman's side would still have qualified had Belgium failed to win in Cyprus and were four minutes from doing so before Eden Hazard's close-range strike in Nicosia.
A single point is now needed for Wales from their final two Group B games next month, Bosnia-Herzegovina away and Andorra at home, to ensure they play at their first major tournament since 1958.
But even in the unlikely scenario of losing those two matches, Israel must beat Cyprus at home and Belgium away to leapfrog Wales into the automatic top two qualifying positions.
"It's a shame for our supporters who wanted to celebrate but it (qualification) is coming," manager Coleman said after Wales had been frustrated by Israel's backs-to-the-wall exercise.
"The expectation was there to get us over the line but now we have to wait that little bit longer.
"It wasn't the party everyone wanted, but it's four vital points from two games and I would have taken that before the Cyprus game on Thursday."
Wales edged closer to France by keeping a clean sheet in a fifth consecutive competitive game for the first time, but they could not make their pressure count at the other end.
Andy King twice went close, Gareth Bale forced an excellent late save from Israel goalkeeper Ofir Marciano and substitute Simon Church had a header rightly disallowed in the final seconds.
Coleman also felt Wales should have been awarded a 66th-minute penalty when Bale's cross struck Eytan Tibi on the arm with Hal Robson-Kanu waiting to pounce.
"There is a shade of disappointment, but I couldn't ask for any more from the players," Coleman said.
"We had all the possession and chances but Israel came for a point and not to get beaten. We needed to score early and in that first 20 minutes we were right on top. When you don't score it can sometimes come back to haunt you, but a point is important."
Wales had won 3-0 in Israel in March and Coleman felt the comfortable nature of that victory had forced the visitors into adopting safety-first tactics in Cardiff.
Israel managed only two shots on goal compared to Wales' 17 and Coleman's side enjoyed 62 per cent possession.
"I couldn't have imagined Israel coming here and parking the bus as they are usually an exciting side, but it shows huge respect to Wales," Coleman added.
"We heard (on Saturday) it might be 5-3-2 and playing deep and we've earned that respect by winning in Israel. But it was good tactics by their coach, it got Israel a point."
