Cymru 0 Poland 1

UEFA Nations League, League A

ABERYSTWYTH’S Rhys Norrington-Davies has voiced his disappointment after Cymru were relegated to League B in the UEFA Nations League after Karol Šwiderski 58th minute goal was enough to secure League A safety for Poland at Cardiff City Stadium last night.

The former Ysgol Penglais pupil, who was utilised on the left of a back three a position he’s played on a few occasions for Sheffield United this season, put in a solid shift again with star man Robert Lewandowski kept relatively quiet.

The Barcelona striker had a hand in the goal though with a lethal touch to flick the ball perfectly into Šwiderski’s path for him to neatly slot home past Wayne Hennessey.

Norrington-Davies said: “We’re very disappointed with the result and very frustrated by the way the game panned out.

“But, the major goal remains, for the team to perform at the World Cup in Qatar and for the Red Wall to continue to support us in the fantastic way they have for many years now.”

It’s been a tough Nations League campaign for Cymru with manager Rob Page having to navigated League A without being able to select his first choice 11, and having the massive distraction of the World Cup Play-Off Final against Ukraine in the middle of it all.

Poland’s tactics were clear from the start. Needing only a point to maintain their League A status they set out to frustrate Cymru with time-wasting tactics.

Cymru kept their heads though and gave it their all with Brennan Johnson going close on a few occasions, Dan James not making the most of a few promising situations and Gareth Bale striking the crossbar late in the game but it wasn’t enough.

Norrington-Davies also played in the 2-1 defeat at the hands of Belgium in Brussels on Thursday evening.

Belgium dominated the first half, but Wales grew in belief during the second and threatened to snatch a draw.

Kevin De Bruyne, who said before the game that he had become a little bored with playing Wales, after Belgium kept facing them in qualifying and tournaments, opened the scoring and set up Michy Batshuayi’s second before break.

De Bruyne could have scored two more in the first half as he hit the post and saw an effort just kicked wide by Wayne Hennessey.

Kieffer Moore got Wales back into the game in the second half with a powerful header from Brennan Johnson’s cross and Wales pushed for the equaliser as the half wore on, especially after Gareth Bale’s introduction in the 64th minute.

Rhys’ father Patrick said after the Poland defeat: “It was a frustrating game that never got going as the referee stopped the game for the most minor of infringements and the opposition milked it for all it was worth. Impossible to play decent flowing football. On to Qatar we go.”