IT WAS deja vu for Wales against Holland as Louis van Gaal’s side clinched another injury-time Nations League winner.
Robert Page’s men suffered agony in Cardiff last Wednesday when Wout Weghorst grabbed a late victory deep in stoppage time for the Dutch just two minutes after the Dragons equalised.
And, six days on in the reverse fixture at the De Kuip Stadium, lightning struck twice for the Welsh as Memphis Depay slammed home in the 92nd minute, 60 seconds following Gareth Bale’s penalty which looked set to hand the visitors an unlikely point after Connor Roberts was fouled by Tyrell Malacia.
But Depay struck to hand Wales a third Nations League defeat in four matches and cap a crazy end to an entertaining contest in the Netherlands.
Brennan Johnson’s 26th-minute strike turned this into a contest as Van Gaal’s coasting Dutch side surged into an early two-goal lead thanks to strikes by Noa Lang and Cody Gakpo.
Continue this form and the Nottingham Forest attacker, hailed as the ‘future of Welsh football’, will be knocking on the door for a starting place at November’s World Cup in Qatar.
Wales boss Page handed Johnson a start with main duo Bale and Aaron Ramsey starting on the bench while Joe Allen was ruled out with a hamstring injury.
There was a carnival atmosphere inside Feyenoord’s home ground and Holland took advantage of slack play from the visitors for Lang’s 17th minute opener.
Ipswich’s Wes Burns got dispossessed by Jordan Teze on the touchline and the defender found Vincent Janssen.
The ex-Tottenham striker fed Lang on the edge of the penalty area and he twisted and turned away from Chris Mepham and Joe Rodon before firing past Wayne Hennessey.
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This was Wales’ fifth game in 14 days and Page’s weary side suffered another second blow just six minutes later.
Gakpo saw his initial shot hit Rodon and deflect off defensive partner Mepham back into the striker’s path.
And the PSV Eindhoven forward made no mistake with a low finish from just inside the area.
The signs were ominous for Wales but they were back in the match through rising star Johnson just three minutes later.
Dan James nicked the ball off Teze, Harry Wilson’s through ball saw Johnson calmly allowed the ball to run across his body before shooting through the legs of Matthijs de Ligt into the far corner.
Wales almost gifted a third for the Dutch when a poor pass from keeper Hennessey was too short for James but Janssen fired inches wide.
Holland continued to look a threat early in the second half when Gakpo tested Hennessey.
Johnson produced another flash of his talent with a burst of pace and shot which was well handled by Cillessen.
Page brought on big hitters Ramsey and Bale – who even got a cheer from the home fans – in a bid to grab an equaliser.
Bale thought he had grabbed a point when he stepped up from the spot for his 39th goal for his country before Depay reacted quickest to break Welsh hearts in a frantic ending.
Source: The Sun