Un Cymro Cynddeiriog

When Wales welcome Austria to the Cardiff City Stadium tomorrow evening for a vital World Cup play-off semi-final, it will be the eleventh instalment in an intermittent rivalry that has produced some memorable moments dating back to the first meeting in 1954. Coleman earns draw with goal on debut Following their triumph against Austria at the Racecourse in November 1975, Wales enjoyed a period of unprecedented competitiveness and consistency in international football over the next two decades. Unfortunately, they never achieved their aim of appearing in a showpiece summer tournament.  Even after topping their qualifying group for the 1976 European Championship, their reward was a tough quarter-final tie over two legs against Yugoslavia, one of the strongest sides in the world. Wales bowed out 3–1 on aggregate after the second leg descended into violence on and off the pitch in what became known as the Battle of Ninian Park, which surpassed even the Battle of Wrexham in notoriety. For

When Wales welcome Austria to the Cardiff City Stadium tomorrow evening for a vital World Cup play-off semi-final, it will be the eleventh instalment in an intermittent rivalry that has produced some memorable moments dating back to the first meeting in 1954. Local hero Griffiths stars on glorious night for Wales Two decades after the Battle of Wrexham , Wales welcomed Austria back to the Racecourse on 19 November 1975 for the most crucial clash between the two nations prior to this week’s play-off. A place in the quarter-finals of the 1976 European Championship was at stake. Since succumbing to two late goals in Vienna in Mike Smith’s first match as manager , Wales had roared to the top of their qualifying group on the back of four consecutive victories. They had begun their whirlwind revival by beating Hungary 2–0 in Cardiff and thrashing Luxembourg 5–0 in Swansea in successive months before the end of 1974 and then repeated those successes against the same opponents away from home i

When Wales welcome Austria to the Cardiff City Stadium on Thursday evening for a vital World Cup play-off semi-final, it will be the 11th instalment in an intermittent rivalry that has produced some memorable moments dating back to the first meeting in 1954. Late collapse sours Smith’s opening salvo Unsurprisingly, Wales and Austria did not rush to confront each other again after the two bruising battles between the two nations in the mid-1950s. Indeed, they would not resume acquaintances until they were drawn together in the same qualifying group for the 1976 European Championship. Wales would open the campaign with a trip to Vienna in September 1974 – two decades after John Charles and company had lost 2–0 at the same venue, simultaneously sowing the seeds of discontent that culminated in the Battle of Wrexham .  The match would be a milestone for Mike Smith, recently installed as Wales’ first full-time manager in a move that was criticised by at least one prominent member of the pre

When Wales welcome Austria to the Cardiff City Stadium tomorrow evening for a vital World Cup play-off semi-final, it will be the eleventh instalment in an intermittent rivalry that has produced some memorable moments dating back to the first meeting in 1954. Bordering on a bloodbath: The Battle of Wrexham Differences in the interpretation of certain laws were a problem for Wales during their early forays to the continent.  They had only played two internationals outside the United Kingdom before the second world war – both times against France in Paris, in 1933 and 1939 – but these ventures became more frequent from 1949 onwards. The main bone of contention was the tendency of players such as Welsh firebrand Trevor Ford to shoulder-charge goalkeepers. The practice was allowed in the Football League, but invariably incurred the wrath of referees and opponents on the continent. This culture clash culminated in the Battle of Wrexham in November 1955, the second of two encounters