Wales Suffer First Home Defeat Under Craig Bellamy Against Canada

Wales suffered their first home defeat under Craig Bellamy as they lost 1-0 to Canada in a friendly match in Swansea, with Derek Cornelius scoring a decisive free-kick. The match was intense and competitive, featuring eight yellow cards, and saw Wales make significant lineup changes following a taxing trip to Kazakhstan. Bellamy viewed the match as a valuable learning experience for his youthful squad, emphasizing the need to expose players to top-level competition and adapt to the speed and physicality of teams like Canada, a co-host of the 2026 World Cup. Despite the loss, Bellamy highlighted positives, particularly from senior players and the opportunity to test young talent, while Harry Wilson acknowledged Canada's strength and competitiveness. Wales currently sit third in their World Cup qualifying group and will face England and Belgium in upcoming fixtures. The match marked a tough test aligned with Bellamy’s strategy to prepare Wales for high-level competition ahead of important qualifiers.