Wales Defeats Kazakhstan in World Cup Qualifier

Wales began their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign with a 2-1 victory over Kazakhstan in Cardiff, under the leadership of manager Craig Bellamy, who remains unbeaten in his tenure. Tottenham defender Ben Davies scored a crucial header, marking his third goal for Wales, while Dan James opened the scoring with a deflected shot. Despite the absence of key players like Aaron Ramsey and Harry Wilson, Wales managed to secure the win, extending Bellamy's impressive record since taking over last July. Kazakhstan equalized with a penalty from Askhat Tagybergen, but substitute Rabbi Matondo's first goal for Wales ensured the win. Bellamy aims to guide Wales to consecutive World Cup appearances, a feat never achieved before, and sees this campaign as a step towards building a lasting legacy for Welsh football. Wales, second seeds in Group J, face tough competition from Belgium but are hopeful for automatic qualification after a strong Nations League showing.