Wales miss out on Euro 2024 after losing to Poland on penalties in playoff final – live | Euro 2024 qualifying

That was such a close game, and from very early on it felt like a penalty competition was on the cards. Poland were probably better on the ball, Wales had the clearer chances. Whoever lost, whoever missed the crucial penalty, it would have been cruel. That’s the nature of tournament playoffs, especially when they are as tight as this.

The final Euro 2024 line-up

Poor Dan James. It wasn’t a good penalty, sidefooted at saveable height to his left. Szczesny went the right way and made a fairly comfortable save. Poland celebrate deliriously in the corner with their supporters; everybody else in the ground is trying to make sense of more penalty heartbreak for Wales.

Poland qualify for Euro 2024!

Piatek scores! Wales 4-5 Poland

Blistered to his left, with Ward going the wrong way. Dan James has to score…

Williams scores! Wales 4-4 Poland

An indecently cool penalty, curled to the bottom right, and now it’s sudden death.

Zalewski scores! Wales 3-4 Poland

Ward went the right way, to his right, but couldn’t quite reach it. It was powerfully struck too, a good penalty all told.

Wilson scores! Wales 3-3 Poland

Straight down the middle again. Peter Shilton would have had a field day here.

Frankowski scores! Wales 2-3 Poland

The best penalty yet, launched into the top-left corner. They shall not be saved.

Moore scores – just! Wales 2-2 Poland

He blootered it off the underside of the bar with such force that the ball bounced down and then ricocheted back into the net.

Szymanski scores! Wales 1-2 Poland Another straight penalty, though this time it was slightly to Szymanski’s left. Ward dived past it.

Davies scores! Wales 1-1 Poland It’s a safe penalty, pinged straight down the middle.

Lewandowski scores! Wales 0-1 Poland

Of course he scores. He stops, sits Ward down and passes the ball slowly into the other side of the net.

The two keepers, Ward and Szczesny, walk towards the goal having an amiable chat, both smiling. Here comes Robert Lewandowski.

Ben Davies and Robert Lewandowski toss up, and there’s a huge roar when Wales get choice of ends. But more importantly, Poland will kick first.

Here we go. Wales fans, Poland fans, neutrals: good luck one and all.

This will be Wales’ first ever penalty shootout. Poland have been involved in at least two, both at Euro 2016: they beat Switzerland and lost to Portugal.

Danny Ward is being given a very quick lesson on the iPad.

Full time in extra time: Wales 0-0 Poland

Mepham sent off!

120 min One minute of added time.

120 min It was always going to penalties, wasn’t it.

119 min In fact, Poland still haven’t had a shot on target in the entire match. That’s absurd.

118 min Wales have a history of penalty-based heartbreak: Joe Jordan, Davie Cooper, Paul Bodin. But right now they would take a penalty competition – Poland have dominated the second period of extra time throughout, albeit without really testing Danny Ward.

117 min “For a game of limited chances, it’s been compelling,” says David Bowen. “I recall a Milan derby being 0-0 about 20 years ago being tremendous. This is not quite on that level mind.”

There was a belter between Arsenal and Real Madrid in 2005-06 as well.

116 min The corner is headed away, then the follow-up cross is headed back across goal and booted clear. Broadhead wins a throw-in and almost gets an ovation; for the first time tonight, Wales are hanging on.

115 min Zalewski runs at James to win another corner for Poland. That was good defending from James, who isn’t a natural in that position.

114 min Wales are really struggling to get out, but a goalkick gives them 30 seconds of precious respite.

113 min: Wales substitution That’s a bit strange – David Brooks, who came on as sub in the second half of normal time, has been replaced by Nathan Broadhead. He doesn’t appear to be injured, though nor did he complain as Robert Page greeted him on the touchline.

112 min The corner is headed up in the air and punched away by Ward.

111 min Frankowski’s dangerous low cross is cut out at the near post by Ampadu, perfectly positioned. Corner to Poland…

111 min Now it’s Poland’s turn to dominate the ball and pin Wales back. The players who started the game look spent. Kieffer Moore can barely jog.

110 min “Lewandowski apparently likes to eat dessert first and finish with the main course,” says Peter Oh. “The question is, what are the hosts serving tonight?”

108 min An inswinging cross from Frankowski is headed well wide by Szymanski, who got his timing all wrong. It was a very difficult chance anyway.

107 min Brooks cuts inside on the edge of the area and screws a right-foot shot that is blocked. He and Wilson have swapped sides for a bit – Brooks left, Wilson right.

107 min “I applaud Kari Tulinius’ magnanimity, and I can sympathise,” says Matt Dony. “I think there are a lot of Welsh fans who feel a kinship with Iceland. Both teams are perpetual underdogs (Iceland more so, obviously. They have a similar population to Cardiff forgoodnesssake). And both of us had the time of our lives in 2016! Wales qualified for the last World Cup at the expense of Ukraine. Obviously, that was incredible. 1958 and all that. But I would have rathered it had come against any other side in the world. I’m glad Ukraine will be in Germany. But there will be an Iceland-shaped hole.”

STOP TYPING MAN YOU’VE GOT WHISKY TO DRINK.

106 min Poland begin the second period of extra-time.