Wales secured a 1-1 draw with the USA on their return to the World Cup after Gareth Bale scored a late penalty. So, HITC Football has looked at the Cymru XI for his first goal in 2006.
Bale has been integral to the Wales side for the last 16 years and got a richly deserved goal as their captain on Monday. He was an inspirational force behind Rob Page’s squad sealing their spot at Qatar 2022 in the UEFA Path A play-offs during wins over Austria and Ukraine.
The 109-cap skipper scored both of Cymru’s goals against Austria in March. It was also his free-kick that Ukraine hero Andriy Yarmolenko turned into his own net for the only effort in June. Wales’ reward was a World Cup place with the USA, Iran and England in Group B.
Anonymous Bale came to Wales’ rescue to a score late penalty vs the USA
Wales had not featured at a World Cup in 64 years before Bale led Cymru out against the USA. But the grand occasion got off to a poor start for Page’s men as Gregg Berhalter’s XI looked the sharper of the two teams in the first half. Timothy Weah also made that count.
The son of Liberia legend George Weah broke the deadlock at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium on 36 minutes. Weah broke through the heart of the Wales defence to get onto Christian Pulisic’s through ball and score past Wayne Hennessey. A USA win then appeared certain.
Yet Wales refused to be beaten and responded well in the second period after a sustained spell with chances. The introduction of Kieffer Moore had a huge impact on the flow of the game, too. But it was Bale – who had been rather anonymous – who came to their rescue.
With nine minutes left on the clock, referee Abdulrahman Al-Jassim immediately pointed to the spot after Walker Zimmerman slid through Bale from behind. And in front of a raft of Wales supporters, the 33-year-old scored his 40th international goal in all competitions.
Wales return to the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium on Friday to face Iran before returning again to face England on November 29. The Three Lions, meanwhile, top Group B after the first ties having thrashed Team Melli 6-2 earlier on Monday. Iran were comfortably the worse team.
So, with Bale scoring goal number 40 for Wales in his 109th cap to rescue a 1-1 draw with the USA, HITC Football looks at the Cymru XI he scored his maiden attempt in during 2006.
Paul Jones (GK): Bale scored his first Wales goal as the ‘keeper got his last cap
Bale scored his first Wales goal in the same XI as Paul Jones earned the last of his 50 caps. The goalkeeper endured a nightmare as Slovakia thrashed Cymru 5-1 in a qualifying fixture for Euro 2008 in 2006. His failed clearance let Marek Mintal make it 2-0 from 35 yards out.
A 25-yard screamer from Mintal also put Slovakia 3-1 up after Bale offered Wales hope of a response. Miroslav Karhan would later chip Jones before Robert Vittek got in on the action and rounded off the scoring. Jones had only flapped at Dusan Svento’s opening effort, too.
Richard Duffy (DEF): Svento and Vittek made it a night to forget despite Bale’s goal
Svento and Vittek also made it a night Richard Duffy would want to forget at Millennium Stadium as Slovakia stunned. The former beat the Wales full-back to the ball to drill across Jones’ net. Svento then burst past Duffy on the left-wing before crossing to Vittek to score.
Rob Edwards (DEF): Luton Town have now appointed the Wales ace as manager
Luton Town have now appointed Rob Edwards as their new head coach. The 15-cap Wales defender enjoyed a 10-year playing career with spells at Aston Villa, Wolves, Blackpool and Barnsley up to 2013. He then turned to coaching in 2014 and took over Luton this month.
Danny Gabbidon (DEF): The Cwmbran native enjoyed 49 games for Wales
Danny Gabbidon made 49 appearances with Wales from March 2002 to June 2014. His last act was four games as an unused substitute in Chris Coleman’s team in late 2014 before he retired in 2015. The defender’s best club spell came with Cardiff City for 172 appearances.
Lewin Nyatanga (DEF): Vittek ran riot on the night Bale scored his first Wales goal
Vittek turned Lewin Nyatanga inside out as Slovakia thrashed Wales on the night Bale got his first international goal. The forward spun around the 34-cap defender to drill a pass in for Svento to score. Nyatanga would make his last appearance for Cymru in February 2011.
Carl Robinson (MID): Western Sydney Wanderers sacked the coach in January
Western Sydney Wanderers sacked Carl Robinson as their head coach this January. He had overseen the Australian A-League outfit’s efforts since October 2020. The 46-year-old had spells at Vancouver Whitecaps and Newcastle United Jets since retiring as a player in 2012.
Simon Davies (MID): The former Wales star is now Peterborough’s U21 boss
Simon Davies is now the U21 manager at Peterborough United after working as a coach at the club since 2018. He had retired as a player in 2013 after six years at Fulham following a two-year stay with Everton. Davies began his career with Peterborough in 1997 up to 2005.
Jason Koumas (MID): The Wrexham native offered one goal every 3.4 games
Jason Koumas offered Wales a goal every 3.4 appearances after scoring 10 across 34 caps, along with two assists. The Wrexham native made his Cymru debut in June 2001 and was a part of the Wales set-up through to March 2009. He started 31 of his Wales appearances.
Craig Bellamy (ATT): Burnley have hired the ex-Cymru star as an assistant coach
Burnley hired Craig Bellamy as an assistant coach in Vincent Kompany’s backroom team in July. He had worked with the Belgian at RSC Anderlecht from 2019 to 2021, as well, after leaving Cardiff. The 78-cap Wales forward was the Bluebirds’ head of academy coaching.
Gareth Bale (ATT): Wales’ World Cup hero vs the USA scored his first goal in 2006
John Toshack started Bale as Wales hosted Slovakia in a European Championships qualifier in October 2006. The Millennium Stadium encounter was only his third senior appearance after debuting that May. It would return his first Cymru goal on 37 minutes to make it 2-1.
Robert Earnshaw (ATT): Orange County hired the ex-Wales star in December
USL Championship team Orange County – who play in America’s second-tier – hired Robert Earnshaw as a coach in December 2021. He had previously been a coach with Vancouver Whitecaps and Fresno after the 59-cap former Wales forward retired from playing in 2016.
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