European Championship Qualifier: Wales vs Bosnia and Herzegovina match preview
A look ahead to Friday’s European fixture at the Cardiff City Stadium
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Your support makes all the difference.Despite their two previous encounters this will be the first time that Wales have hosted Bosnia and Herzegovina in a competitive fixture.
The 2014 Fifa World Cup contenders will be aiming to atone their bad start to the Euro 2016 qualifiers following their shock 2-1 defeat against Cyprus.
For Wales, however, a scintillating performance from Gareth Bale – who incidentally won the Welsh Player of The Year award for a record fourth time – saw Chris Coleman’s men overcome Andorra to kick-start their aspirations of qualifying for a first major tournament since 1958.
But Coleman suffered a blow in Wales’ quest to finally get the better of Bosnia when James Collins and Paul Dummett withdrew from the squad due to hamstring and muscular injuries respectively.
The visitors will be aiming to capitalise on Wales’ misfortune as they boast a better head-to-head record – and Bosnia and Herzegovina coach Safet Susic will no doubt be in defiant mood to continue their unbeaten record against the Welsh once more this Friday.
KICK-OFF: Friday, 7:45pm
PAST TWO MEETINGS:
Wales 0 Bosnia 2 (Ibisevic, Stevanovic), International friendly, August 2012
Wales 2 (Earnshaw, Hartson) Bosnia 2 (Baljic, Barbarez), International friendly, February 2003
STATS
Wales haven’t beaten Bosnia in their two previous encounters
Whenever Wales and Bosnia lock horns a goal has always been scored in the first half.
Bosnia and Herzegovina coach Susic took on Wales as a Yugoslavia player, his side drawing 1-1 in Cardiff in a UEFA European Championship qualifier on 14 December 1983.
Chris Coleman’s first home game in charge of Wales was a 2-2 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
ODDS
Wales to win: 3.3
Bosnia and Herzegovina to win: 2.2
Draw: 3.25
TV: Sky Sports 5, 7:45pm
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