One of the more evenly matched ties from UEFA's 2026 World Cup play-off lineup takes place in Cardiff this week as Wales lock horns with Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Wales are hoping to reach a second successive World Cup finals for the first time in their history as they come into this game with high hopes. Craig Bellamy's side have close to a fully fit squad, so confidence amongst the Welsh faithful will be high.
The Welsh had a strong qualification campaign, finishing second to Belgium by only two points and above North Macedonia in 3rd by three points. They're often very hard to beat on home soil and have won five of their last seven games in front of their own fans. Their only defeats in that period came against Belgium and Canada in a friendly, where Bellamy fielded a heavily rotated side.
Their most recent home game saw them deliver a commanding 7-1 win over North Macedonia, with Harry Wilson bagging a hat-trick, a result that marked a huge statement from the Dragons. Wilson is having the season of his life and his form for Wales has been imperious too, with the midfielder scoring five from his last five for Wales.
Seven of the team's last ten home games have seen over 2.5 goals, which is fairly typical of how Craig Bellamy wants his team to play (heavily on the front foot).
Bosnia-Herzegovina also finished second in their qualifying group, with Austria pipping them to top spot. The Balkans have won only three of their last ten games away from home, with a draw against Cyprus and a loss to Slovenia part of that ten-game stretch.
They do tend to be an entertaining watch for the neutral, however, with six of their last ten games overall seeing over 2.5 goals scored.
Bosnia-Herzegovina will be hoping that veteran striker Edin Dzeko, now 40-years-old, can come up with the goods in what will be his 147th cap for his country. Without too many recognisable names, though, they'll find it hard to win away in Cardiff against a Wales side that have plenty of experience in high-stakes games.
Wales 2-1 Bosnia-Herzegovina
