Wales delivered a breathtaking attacking masterclass in Cardiff, producing the most complete performance of Craig Bellamy’s tenure as they crushed North Macedonia 7–1 and secured home advantage for their World Cup play-off semi-final.

With automatic qualification already out of reach — Belgium hammered Liechtenstein 7–0 to seal top spot in Group J — Wales knew a win would guarantee second place and a more favourable draw, avoiding a tough away tie against teams such as Italy.