ROBERT PAGE saw ten-man Wales suffer their first home Euros qualifying loss in 12 years with an embarrassing defeat to Armenia.
Grant-Leon Ranos and Lucas Zelarayan both struck twice to severely dent the Dragons’ hopes of reaching next year’s finals in Germany.
The Dragons had been unbeaten on home soil in their past 12 home Euro qualifiers since losing 2-0 to England in March 2011.
But, after Dan James’ opener, terrible defending allowed Armenia – who are ranked 97th in the world and had lost nine of their last ten matches – to inflict a crushing Group D blow in one of Wales’ most humiliating international losses.
Ranos made it 3-1 to Armenia in a chaotic second half before Harry Wilson reduced the deficit to one goal.
Zelarayan scored his second for the visitors and then Kieffer Moore was sent off for kicking out at keeper Ognjen Chancharevich following a tangle of legs.
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Page’s shell-shocked side dropped to third in the table and next up is a tough trip to group leaders Turkey in Samsun on Monday night without the suspended Bournemouth striker Moore.
Defeat there and the hopes of Wales qualifying for a third successive Euros will be in tatters.
Wales, who would have gone top of the group above Croatia with a win, had taken a tenth minute lead through James’ sixth international goal.
But Page’s decision to pick a bold and attacking 4-4-2 line-up backfired as Armenia came from behind.
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Wales had been coasting early on, Moore heading a good chance wide following Brennan Johnson’s cross from the byline before James put the home side ahead.
Armenia complained of a foul by Rodon on Tigran Barseghyan in the build-up but Bulgarian referee Georgi Kabakov played on.
Rodon, Ethan Ampadu and Johnson combined and the Nottingham Forest forward, the subject of a £30million rejected bid from Brentford on Wednesday, supplied James, who smashed home at the back post.
It was a fast start by Wales but they looked vulnerable to Armenia’s slick attacks.
The alarming space between defence and midfield was exposed as Armenia stunned the Cardiff City Stadium through Zelarayan and Ranos.
Zelarayan was left unmarked as he volleyed past keeper Danny Ward from Nair Tiknizyan’s cross.
Then Ranos headed home to capitalise on Joe Rodon losing possession to Ugochukwu Iwu.
The Borussia Mochengladbach-bound striker eased in between Chris Mepham and Connor Roberts to nod home a fine centre by Zelarayan.
Ranos, who was born in Germany to Armenian parents, then added his fourth goal for his country in just two games after the interval.
The 19-year-old striker joined Bayern Munich in 2018 – a time when he changed his surname from Mamedova-Ranos to Ranos – and plays for the German giants’ second string.
But his accomplished finishes showed just why Bundesliga outfit Monchengladbach have snapped him up on a free transfer next month.
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Wales winger David Brooks came off the bench for his first cap in two years following his cancer battle.
Although Wilson scored from close-range, Zelarayan sealed a famous Armenian win on a horror night for Page’s men with a few boos from the home fans at the final whistle.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
