Rhys Norrington-Davies’ stoppage-time equaliser is cancelled out by Weghorst’s dramatic header in a 2-1 defeat

Wales’ impressive unbeaten home streak was brought to a heartbreaking end in Cardiff as Wout Weghorst netted a last-minute header to give the Netherlands a 2-1 win in their Nations League clash.

With the match seemingly heading for a draw, Rhys Norrington-Davies’ dramatic stoppage-time header had cancelled out Teun Koopmeiners’ opener, putting Wales on the brink of extending their unbeaten home run to 20 matches. However, the Netherlands responded immediately, and Weghorst’s powerful header sealed their victory in the dying moments, inflicting Wales’ first home defeat since November 2018.

The match came just days after Wales had celebrated qualifying for their first World Cup in 64 years, and the energy of that achievement seemed to carry over into this encounter, with both teams fielding weakened line-ups. The Netherlands made a full 11 changes from their 4-1 win over Belgium, while Wales, still buoyed by their play-off victory against Ukraine, were also missing key players.

Wales’ captain for the day, Ben Davies, was one of the few survivors from the weekend’s World Cup play-off, with Gareth Bale only coming on for the final 13 minutes. Despite the squad rotation, the intensity of the game lacked the usual competitive edge, often resembling a friendly rather than a crucial Nations League tie.

The Netherlands started with a new-look team, absent from several big names, including Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk, who had been granted early leave to begin his summer break. However, despite the changes, the Dutch were in fine form, stretching their unbeaten run under Louis van Gaal to 10 matches. Their dominance in possession (62%) was evident, but Wales defended resolutely, with Chris Mepham and Ben Davies making vital tackles to keep the score level at half-time.

In the second half, the Netherlands came out with more purpose, and Koopmeiners’ early attempt forced a save from Wales’ substitute goalkeeper Adam Davies. However, it was the Dutch midfielder’s low strike that eventually broke the deadlock. Wales responded with Norrington-Davies’ stunning header to level things up, but Weghorst’s late intervention ensured the Netherlands maintained their perfect record in this fixture.

The defeat marked Wales’ second Nations League loss in as many games, following their earlier setback in Poland. Despite the disappointment, manager Robert Page will be hoping his side can bounce back as they continue their busy schedule, with several fixtures remaining in the space of just two weeks.