Ben Davies is confident Wales will prevail should they face a first-ever penalty shoot-out in their Euro 2024 play-off final against Poland.
Wales have never felt the tension of spot-kicks to settle matters at full-time, but that would be the deciding factor should Tuesday’s tie in Cardiff finish level after 120 minutes.
Poland have been involved in two shoot-outs, both at Euro 2016 – overcoming Switzerland in the round of 16 before losing to Portugal at the quarter-final stage.
“Let’s hope it doesn’t get there,” Wales captain Davies said about the possibility of penalties at the Cardiff City Stadium.
“We’ve been practising all week. I don’t know what the line-up is, but we seem to have 11 pretty good ones at the moment.”
Wales do have experience of play-off football, however, having taken this route to beat Austria and Ukraine in qualifying for the 2022 World Cup.
Gareth Bale was the difference in both games, scoring all three Wales goals in 2-1 and 1-0 victories, but the Dragons must attempt to qualify now without their retired former captain and talisman.
Tottenham defender Davies said: “It’s been a bit of transition having lost Gareth, who brought so much to this squad.
“If we could get there this time it’s a real team effort and we’d be really proud.
“Most of us played in the game where we got the experience of beating Ukraine in the last play-off.
“It was high stress, the game with the biggest stakes on it, and everyone handled themselves well.
“That’s one thing we pride ourselves on. We’ve got discipline, energy and passion, but overall we’re a proper team.”
Davies is one of four survivors from the current squad that reached the semi-finals of Euro 2016, alongside Aaron Ramsey, Danny Ward and Wayne Hennessey.
It has been a golden era for Welsh football as reaching Germany this summer would mean qualification for a third consecutive European Championship and a fourth major tournament out of five.
Wales did not qualify for a single major tournament between 1958 and 2016.
Davies said: “Welsh football was in a pretty sticky place before Euro 2016.
“We felt that would be our best chance to qualify and it was important to break down that barrier to show it is possible.
“To show that qualification is there in your hands, and we’ve had players stepping up in big moments over and over. To do it four times is something that I never imagined happening.”
Nashville SC v San Jose Earthquakes: ‘A win would change everything’ - Godoy
Anibal Godoy insists that Nashville are already looking at their game against San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday as a must-win.
Nashville have won just once in the MLS this season and sit in 14th place in the Eastern Conference after a run of four without a win.
The Earthquakes, meanwhile, are bottom of the Western Conference having lost eight of their matches and recording just one win.
Godoy is aware of how their poor start to the season could affect their playoff hopes later down the line but is confident that Nashville can turn things around.
He said: “For us, it's an important week. It's a day we have to win, or we'll start to feel the pressure from other teams as they start to separate in the table.
“This league is long but if we want to get to the playoff you have to win games early on, especially at home.”
Liverpool agree compensation deal for Slot
Liverpool and Feyenoord have reached an agreement in principle over a compensation deal for Arne Slot to become the Reds’ manager next season, according to widespread Dutch media reports.
The Dutchman is reportedly poised to take over from Jurgen Klopp, who announced in January that he would be leaving the club at the end of the campaign.
Slot led Feyenoord to their second Eredivisie title last season after taking over the club in 2021.
It is believed that he topped the list of Liverpool’s favoured candidates due to his attacking playing style and ability to develop players.
Former Liverpool midfielder, Xabi Alonso, who led Bayer Leverkusen to their first Bundesliga title, and Sporting CP’s Ruben Amorim were also reported contenders to take over from Klopp.
Slot had already confirmed his interest in managing in the Premier League, both earlier this week and previously when he was linked to Tottenham in 2023.
QPR 4-0 Leeds United: Shock loss for Farke's men seals Leicester's promotion
QPR thrashed Leeds United 4-0 in the Championship on Friday, ensuring Leicester City booked their promotion straight back to the Premier League.
Ilias Chair was the star for the Hoops as he scored the opener and assisted two more goals to ensure QPR will stay in the Championship for another season.
Lucas Andersen, Lyndon Dykes and Sam Field also got their names on the scoresheet in an emphatic win for Marti Cifuentes' side.
Leeds' heaviest defeat of the season was a huge blow in the race for an automatic promotion spot, with Ipswich Town just one point behind them in third place with two games in hand going into their away clash against Hull City on Saturday.
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