18 The Week Junior • 11 June 2022
Sport
O
n 5 June, Wales celebrated qualifying for their first
football World Cup tournament in 64 years. A 1-0 win
against Ukraine in their play-off final in Cardiff gave the
men’s national team a place at the competition, which
begins in Qatar in November.
As the Wales players and fans enjoyed their victory, it
was a sad defeat for Ukraine. The Ukraine team was also
desperate to reach the World Cup. They wanted to give
their supporters something to celebrate after suffering such
hardship since Russia invaded their country in February.
Ukraine had beaten Scotland 3-1 in a play-off semi-final four
days earlier to reach the play-off final.In a tense game at the Cardiff City Stadium, Ukraine had
lots of chances to score but the hosts defended well. Wales’s
goal came in the 34th minute when a free kick from captain
Gareth Bale was deflected into the net by Ukraine’s Andriy
Yarmolenko. “The result is the greatest in Welsh football
history. We’re going to a World Cup!” said a delighted Bale
moments after the memorable match.
There will be 32 countries at the World Cup, starting off
in eight groups of four teams each. England and Wales will
play each other in Group B, as well as both playing Iran
and US. The top two teams in each group will progress to
the World Cup knockout stages.ALAMY·^ G
ETTY^ IMAG
ESIga Świątek & Rafael Nadal
Świątek won the women’s singles
title and Nadal took the men’s
crown at the French Open tennis
competition. Nadal has won the
event a record 14 times.England men’s cricket team
They beat New Zealand by five
wickets in the first Test. In the
match, Joe Root reached 10,
career runs for England.World Cup 1958
THE WEEK’S WINNERS... Minjee Lee
The 26-year-old Australian
golfer won the US Open by
finishing four shots ahead
of American Mina Harigae.Manchester Thunder
Thunder’s 60-53 victory
against Loughborough
Lightning gave them the
Netball Superleague trophy
for the fourth time.
Manchester won every
game this season.Wales have only reached a
football World Cup once, in- They drew their three
group games against Hungary,
Mexico and Sweden and won
a group play-off 2-1 against
Hungary to set up a quarter-
final with Brazil. Brazil won
1-0 and went on to beat France
and then Sweden in the final
to become world champions
for the first time. In recent
years, Wales have qualified
for the past two European
Championships, reaching the
semi-finals in 2016.
Wales end World Cup wait
Welsh players
celebrate.WOM
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in^2023
.Wales playing
Sweden in 1958.Ben Davies of Wales consoles
Ukraine’s Andriy Yarmolenko.Rafael Nadal