Wales' Euro 2016 qualification party was put on hold this afternoon as they were stifled by Israel in a goalless draw at the Cardiff City Stadium.
The hosts knew that a win would guarantee their place at next summer's tournament, but Andy King and Aaron Ramsey could not make the most of chances during a bright opening 20 minutes for the hosts.
They continued to have the better of the match after the interval too, but could not find a breakthrough despite King, Hal Robson-Kanu and Gareth Bale all having sights of goal.
Here, Sports Mole looks at whether a draw was a fair result on the day.
Match statistics
WALES
Shots: 17
On target: 7
Possession: 62%
Corners: 11
Fouls: 9
ISRAEL
Shots: 2
On target: 1
Possession: 38%
Corners: 1
Fouls: 12
Was the result fair?
One quick look at the statistics above will tell you all you need to know about this match. Wales could, and should, be celebrating qualification for a first major tournament since 1958 right now having created enough chances to win the game. In truth, only one of these teams arrived in Cardiff with any intention of going for the three points. Israel signalled their intent early on, defending deep and leaving very little room between their defence and midfield.
That didn't seem to help much in the opening 20 minutes or so, though. It was one-way traffic during that period for the hosts, and they managed to slice open the Israel defence on a couple of occasions. The only thing missing during that spell was a goal for Wales, with King and Ramsey both missing golden chances to get it. Had they capitalised on their spell in the ascendency then it would have been a very different game, but as it was they allowed Israel back into the match.
While Wales never managed to reach that level of dominance again over the remaining 70 minutes, they did always seem to be in control. They saw far more of the ball than their visitors, while all but one of the chances in the match fell their way. However, they didn't quite have the quality in the final third to get that all-important goal which would have handed them a deserved victory and progress to Euro 2016.
Wales' performance
With the Cardiff City Stadium packed to the rafters and an air of expectancy in the air, it felt very much like party time in the Welsh capital today. The feeling amongst the fans almost demanded a quick start from the hosts, and the players duly obliged. They came flying out of the blocks, taking the game to Israel in the opening exchanges and putting their visitors under relentless pressure. They were utterly dominant during that spell, but failed to make the most of it.
One of the most impressive factors of the opening 20 minutes was Wales' hunger and desire to win the ball back. They harassed and hounded Israel on the ball, preventing the visitors from enjoying any sustained possession and thus gaining a foothold in the match. That intensity dropped as the half wore on, however, which allowed Israel to finally grow into the game, although Wales remained on top. They were able to focus on attacking too as the visitors showed very little forward ambition of their own.
The second half began in a more even manner, but Wales were soon back on top and, just as in the first half, looked like the only side capable of winning the game. Patience was always likely to be key against a side who set up like Israel, and now the Dragons may have to wait until October to book their place in France next summer. Chris Coleman would have been desperate to have sealed qualification today but, considering they have waited the best part of 60 years for a major international tournament, an extra month won't seem too long for Wales.
Israel's performance
Israel came to Cardiff with a gameplan, and ultimately the scoreline dictates that they achieved their goal. They set up shop early on, immediately dropping into a back five from kickoff. That often became a back nine in practice, with the midfield never venturing too far forward, limiting the space in which the likes of Bale and Ramsey could operate. That would have been no surprise to Wales, though, and in the opening 20 minutes it didn't seem as though Israel's negative tactics would make a difference.
They were cut open too easily and too often for Eli Guttmann's liking during that period of the game, although they didn't do themselves any favours in terms of keeping possession. They struggled to cope with Wales' constant pressure off the ball, while the fact that the midfield were so deep meant that they had no-one to keep possession around the halfway line. Had Wales maintained their intensity then it seemed a matter of time before they would break the deadlock, but Israel were eventually able to work their way into the match.
Guttmann made two changes at the break and they showcased more attacking intent in the second half, although their threat to Wayne Hennessey's goal was still minimal. Their only shot on target did not arrive until the 83rd minute, and that was the only time they even got close to the Wales penalty area in a threatening manner. They came for a draw, though, and succeeded in getting that, so Guttmann will be content with what he saw from his side today.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Jazz Richards: It is slim pickings for this award, with no player really standing out for either side. Richards was a key element of Wales' dominance in the opening stages, however, and played a big role in the best chance of the match that fell the way of King. He gave his marker a torrid time on the wing, with the vast majority of Wales' promising moments coming down the right.
Biggest gaffe
Again, there isn't much to choose from in this category, so we'll pick on King and Ramsey rather harshly. The former missed the initial chance when he saw his shot saved by the keeper, while Ramsey should have done better with his headed rebound.
Referee performance
Ivan Bebek had a couple of penalty shouts to decide upon today, with mixed results. He got the toughest one right, awarding a free kick when Robson-Kanu was pulled to ground right on the edge of the box, but Wales felt that they should have had a spot kick when the ball appeared to clip the hand of a defender with Robson-Kanu lurking behind. It was the slightest touch, but it helped to put the ball behind so could have easily been given. In fairness to the referee, though, he could have expected more help from the official behind the goal on that call.
What next?
Wales: Assuming Belgium beat Cyprus later today, Wales will travel to Bosnia & Herzegovina on October 10 in another attempt to finalise their place at Euro 2016.
Israel: Israel, meanwhile, host Cyprus on the same day in a match that could see them wrap up a place in the top three of Group B.
Barney Corkhill
Germany
Switzerland
Hungary
Scotland
Spain
Italy
Croatia
Albania
England
Denmark
Slovenia
Serbia
Austria
France
Netherlands
Poland
Romania
Belgium
Slovakia
Ukraine
Portugal
Turkey
Georgia
Czech Republic
