An exhilarating FIFA World Cup qualifying match between Belgium and Wales saw 6 goals between the two teams, the victorious Belgians emerging 4-2 winners to keep their unbeaten streak to start qualifying going. However, this match played at the Cardiff City Stadium in the Welsh capital might be remembered more for a comical incident that took place partway through the second half.
Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois tries to grab hold of a rat that made its way onto the pitch in Cardiff.(Action Images via Reuters)
With a break in play taking place in the 65th minute of the match, Belgium and Real Madrid star goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois noticed a small animal in the middle of the Belgium half. The goalkeeper proceeded to approach it and tried to reach out and grab the critter, and fans noticed it was a small rat that had made its way into the middle of the pitch.
The rat evaded Courtois’ grasp, much to the amusement of the Welsh crowd, and began to scurry up the field while staying away from the players. Ultimately, it was Wales and Tottenham Hotspur winger Brennan Johnson who played the role of emergency animal rescue, as he corralled the rat off the pitch, ensuring it exited away from the sideline.
As the rat exited the pitch and scurried underneath a VAR monitor kept pitchside, making its exit for the night, the crowd at the Cardiff City Stadium let out an ironic cheer, seeing the funny side of things. However, it was a slightly more severe matter for those in charge at the stadium, with Cardiff City’s head of operations Wayne Nash commenting that the incident had ‘serious undertones’.
Belgium continue winning ways, maintain group lead
Ultimately, while the club team might need to run a check to see if other vermin have worked their way into the stadium, it was a harmless and entertaining episode. The main focus of the match saw the hosts establish a surprise lead in the 8th minute, only for Kevin de Bruyne to equalise from the spot soon after.
The Belgian team would take the lead before the half, and double that lead 10 minutes after the rat incident, with playmaker de Bruyne scoring his second of the night from the spot. Wales would have a brief glimmer of hope as they pulled within one in the 89th minute, but as they pushed bodies forward in search of an equalizer, they were punished on the counter-attack as Arsenal winger Leandro Trossard made it 4-2 in injury time to seal the deal.
Belgium will now be confident of proceeding to next year’s World Cup, but Wales are set up for a do-or-die set of encounters against Lichtenstein and North Macedonia during the November international break if they wish to keep their hopes alive.