Wales suffered a 1-0 defeat against Canada in an international friendly held at the Swansea.com Stadium on Tuesday, marking Craig Bellamy's first home loss since taking charge. Derek Cornelius, a recent signing for Rangers, scored the decisive goal with a free-kick from 25 yards just before halftime. Despite the friendly tag, the match was fiercely contested, with the referee issuing eight yellow cards.
Bellamy had previously stated his rationale for choosing a tough opponent like Canada, who are ranked higher than Wales in the FIFA rankings, emphasizing the need to test his team against quality opposition. He acknowledged the risk of a potential defeat but stressed the importance of such games for the team's development and to gauge their current standing.
Wales were coming off a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Kazakhstan in a World Cup qualifier, a win that involved a 7,000-mile round trip. In light of the long journey and the desire to assess different players, Bellamy made eight changes to the starting lineup for the Canada game. Ben Davies, Neco Williams, and Harry Wilson were the only players who retained their places in the team. The match also saw debuts for Cardiff right-back Ronan Kpakio and a first start for Leeds midfielder Charlie Crew.
Canada's victory was well-deserved, as they not only scored a goal but also hit the woodwork twice and created several other clear-cut chances. Their performance indicated their quality and readiness as they prepare to co-host the World Cup next summer. Before playing Wales, Canada had defeated Romania 3-0 in a friendly match in Bucharest.
Jesse Marsch, the Canada head coach, expressed his belief that Wales would qualify for the World Cup. He acknowledged Craig Bellamy's capabilities as a coach and the quality of the Welsh players.
The game was broadcast on BBC One Wales and S4C.
Bellamy has managed 11 games as Wales manager, with only one previous loss, which occurred in a World Cup qualifier against Belgium. Following the loss to Canada, Wales will face England at Wembley in October before resuming their World Cup qualifying campaign against Belgium. Wales are currently competing with North Macedonia and Belgium to qualify for the World Cup.
