Gibraltar Secures Historic Draw Against Wales
Gibraltar 0-0 Wales
Julio Ribas fielded a young squad, as did Wales, testing their under-21 players. Gibraltar started on the backfoot, defending as expected. Early communication issues between Hankin and Annesley almost allowed Wales an early chance, but a great challenge by Olivero in the fifth minute stopped a quick one-on-one break.
Despite playing with an eye on their future, Gibraltar showed disciplined defense. A local observer noted that Gibraltar should not have been satisfied with their 2-0 loss to Scotland as they hadn't tried to win the match. An expert in international sports suggested that Gibraltar lacked the hunger to win, focusing instead on following the coach's instructions.
The match against Wales, however, whilst there had been no attempts at goal there had been a hunger to get a result.
Twenty minutes in, Wales had yet to create a clear chance. Gibraltar pressed higher than usual, gaining confidence but failing to test the Welsh defenders. De Barr was brought down by Savage in the 20th minute, earning a free kick that Walker wasted, sending the ball out for a throw-in. Hankin anticipated a through ball well in the 24th minute, clearing the danger. He again came out decisively in the 26th minute to win an aerial ball.
De Barr was repeatedly targeted and fouled, including a hard tackle by Sheehan in the 28th minute. Despite winning a free kick, Gibraltar couldn't capitalize. Hankin made a safe save from a speculative shot, frustrating Wales, who remained goalless by halftime. The Gibraltar crowd was equally quiet, mirroring the Welsh supporters.
Wales changed their keeper at halftime, with Tom King, a former Manchester 62 youth player, coming on. Annesley risked a yellow card after repeated warnings. Lope and Hankin's lack of communication led to a corner for Wales, with Hankin getting injured while clearing the ball. The young keeper resolutely continued. In the 53rd minute, Sheehan's corner went through Hankin's hands under pressure, but Wales failed to capitalize.
Gibraltar held their ground, with Jolley making a great tackle but injuring himself in the process. Ribas did not make substitutions quickly, showing confidence in his starting eleven. De Barr's cheeky ball snatch from Savage didn't advance the attack. Annesley blocked a crucial shot in front of the goal, and Lope cleared another attempt from the line.
As the match progressed, Gibraltar continued to frustrate Wales. In the 70th minute, Gibraltar had not conceded against a team that had beaten them 4-0 months earlier. The Welsh crowd remained silent, while Gibraltar's traveling fans watched nervously.
In the 77th minute, Walker's long ball to Bartolo in a three-on-three break was too strong, missing a clear chance. Hankin made a great save in the 78th minute from Wales' first real shot at goal by Koumas. Wales continued to search for a winner, with Johnson missing an overhead kick in the 79th minute.
El Hmidi forced Tom King to stretch with a long-range shot in the 82nd minute. A wasted free kick by Walker in the 84th minute gave Wales another chance, but Gibraltar's defense held firm. Joseph Chipolina came on for Walker, adding fresh legs to the defense.
Injury time saw Wales earn several free kicks, but their deliveries failed to connect. De Barr was prevented from a potential breakthrough by a last-minute tackle.
Gibraltar earned a historic 0-0 draw against Wales, breaking a long run of defeats. The scoreless draw against a team featuring top English league players highlighted Gibraltar’s resilience. This result, coming after a narrow 2-0 loss to Scotland, added a significant chapter to Gibraltar’s football history. Despite the positive result, Gibraltar's concerning record remains with just one shot on goal during the match and no goals scored in their last fourteen matches.
