Wales v Belgium background
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Article summary
Goal difference is all that separates Wales and Belgium at the top of UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying Group B as the sides look to improve on a 0-0 draw in their last meeting.
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The top two in UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying Group B come together again, with Wales looking to mark a UEFA European Championship milestone with victory against Belgium.
Previous meetings
• Wales took great encouragement from a 0-0 draw in Brussels in the sides' first Group B meeting back in November.
• Wales's record in 11 games against Belgium is W3 D3 L5 (W3 D0 L2 at home). They have lost their last two home matches against Belgium – both FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
• The teams are meeting for the second major qualifying competition in succession; Belgium won 2-0 in Cardiff – in what was Marc Wilmots' first competitive game as Red Devils coach – and then drew 1-1 in Brussels in 2014 World Cup qualifying.
• Wales manager Chris Coleman and Belgium boss Wilmots were on opposing benches as Belgium beat Wales 2-0 in November 1992 (Wilmots coming on as a late substitute), while Coleman was an unused substitute again, and Wilmots a scoring starter, as Belgium edged Wales 3-2 at home in an October 1997 World Cup qualifier. Wilmots' record in four matches against Wales as a player was W3 D1.
Form guide
• Wales and Belgium are both unbeaten in five Group B fixtures (W3 D2).
• Wales have not conceded in their last two Group B matches. They are also unbeaten in five games in Cardiff (W3 D2 – friendlies and competitive fixtures).
• Belgium have not conceded in three Group B games, and are unbeaten in their last seven qualifying contests on the road (W6 D1).
Trivia and links
• Wales's Gareth Bale could make his 50th international appearances in the Belgium game.
• This is Wales's 100th UEFA European Championship game. Their record in the previous 99 reads W38 D20 L41.
• Wales defender Ben Davies and Belgium counterpart Jan Vertonghen are team-mates at Tottenham Hotspur FC.
• Belgium have had the better of the nations' meetings in UEFA age-group competitions: W8 D4 L3.
• In nine UEFA club competition encounters, the Belgian teams' record against Welsh opponents is W7 D2 L0.