Armenia v Wales LIVE: Result and reaction from crucial Euro 2024 qualifier as Wales suffer huge blow with draw

Armenia 1-1 Wales: Euro 2024 qualification is taken out of Wales’s hands as they fail to find a winner in Yerevan

Ben Davies says team is 'excited' ahead of Armenia v Wales.mp4

Wales suffered a huge blow in their penultimate Euro 2024 qualifier against Armenia, as a 1-1 draw in Yerevan took automatic qualification for the tournament out of their hands.

Rob Page’s side remain in the second automatic qualifying spot in Group D but will be leapfrogged by Croatia if they beat Latvia later this evening and if the Croats then do likewise against the Armenian on Tuesday they won’t be able to be caught by Wales, regardless of the result against Turkey in Cardiff at the same time.

Wales fell behind after just five minutes in Yerevan when they failed to clear a corner and Lucas Zelarayan brilliantly fired past Danny Ward but the visitors steadily gained a foothold and deservedly equalised in first-half injury time when Nair Tiknizyan headed into his own goal under pressure from Joe Rodon at a corner.

Yet the Dragons couldn’t find a winner in the second half and were fortunate not to lose the match as Vahan Bichakhchyan struck the underside of the bar and Ward made a couple of important saves with Armenia looking the side more likely to score. The dropped points now likely consign Wales to a play-off if they want to reach a third straight men’s European Championship finals.

Relive all the action with our live blog below:

Armenia vs Wales live

• Wales can only draw 1-1 with Armenia in their penultimate match of Euro 2024 qualifying
• The draw takes automatic qualification out of Wales’s hands as they now rely on Croatia slipping up
• FULL-TIME! Armenia 1-1 Wales
• 61’ - CROSSBAR! Bichakhchyan strikes the underside of the bar for Armenia (ARM 1-1 WAL)
• 45+2’ - GOAL! Tiknizyan heads into his own net to bring Wales level (ARM 1-1 WAL)
• 5’ - GOAL! Armenia take an early lead through Zelarayan (ARM 1-0 WAL)

[18 November 2023 15:35 · Luke Baker]

Armenia 1-1 Wales

75 mins: A draw doesn’t do Wales much good. It would put their Euro 2024 qualification in Croatia’s hands and likely condemn them to a play-off. 15 minutes to find a winner and keep it in their own hands heading into Tuesday against Turkey in Cardiff.

To stand any chance of qualifying themselves, Armenia also have to win so both teams should be going for it in the final stages.

[18 November 2023 15:33 · Luke Baker]

Armenia 1-1 Wales

72 mins: A couple more Armenia subs as Edgar Sevikykn and Artur Miranyan replace Vahan Bichakchyan and Grant-Leon Ranos.

[18 November 2023 15:30 · Luke Baker]

Armenia 1-1 Wales

69 mins: Dan James gets space down the left, he turns back and feeds namesake Jordan James inside. He tests Cancarevic from distance and the Armenia keeper parries it but jumps on the rebound.

Decent strike, decent save. Wales need more attacks like that.

[18 November 2023 15:27 · Luke Baker]

Armenia 1-1 Wales

66 mins: The second of Wales’s ‘big guns’ emerges from the bench as Leeds starr Dan James comes on for Harry Wilson. Johnson and James now flanking Kieffer Moore up top as Wales look for an all-important winner.

[18 November 2023 15:25 · Luke Baker]

Armenia 1-1 Wales

64 mins: First change for Armenia comes in the midfield as Iwu, who picked up a groin strain a few minutes ago, finally gives it up and exits, with Harutyunyan coming on.

Ampadu then wastes a promising attacking opportunity as he strides forward but waits too long to make the pass to the overlap and it’s cut out

[18 November 2023 15:22 · Luke Baker]

CROSSBAR! Armenia 1-1 Wales

61 mins: What a let-off for Wales! Armenai hit the underside of the bar...

Out of nothing, Bichakhchyan picks the ball up in the ‘D’ and with almost no backlift lofts a shot over the outstretched hand of Ward and off the underside of the bar! Zelarayan puts the follow-up over, although he may have been offside.

But WOW! That was close for Armenia. A warning for Wales, who can’t afford to fall behind again.

[18 November 2023 15:18 · Luke Baker]

Armenia 1-1 Wales

58 mins: Speculative for Spertsyan as he takes aim from 30 yards but the ball flies harmlessly over the bar.

[18 November 2023 15:17 · Luke Baker]

Armenia 1-1 Wales

56 mins: Wales probe down the left with Williams, whose cross is blocked, then with Johnson down the right but it goes out for a goal-kick. Just some signs that Wales fancy this though.

[18 November 2023 15:16 · Luke Baker]

Armenia 1-1 Wales

54 mins: Cynical from Armenia captain Haroyan. Wales countering at pace and he body-checks Wilson on halfway to stop the move in its tracks.

Wales really unhappy with Haroyan and Ampadu squares up to him but frankly, he did what he had to do. He gets booked for his trouble.

[18 November 2023 15:13 · Luke Baker]

Armenia 1-1 Wales

52 mins: Wales have generally tried to play through the midfield while Armenai have largely gone over the top of theirs. But Wales try going long with Danny Ward launching a ball up to Kieffer Moore but Moore gives away a free-kick for tugging Calisir’s shirt. Moore not happy about it.