KEIR RADNEDGE in CARDIFF: That was not the World Cup send-off Wales wanted. An injury-weakened team’s 1-0 defeat by Poland was topped off with the bitterness of Nations League top-tier relegation. Destiny was inevitable after one win in eight games.

Manager Rob Page had described the campaign after fighting with one hand tied behind their back and they will be relieved in the knowledge that in Qatar they should welcome back Ben Davies, Joe Allen, Aaron Ramsey and Harry Wilson as well as suspended Chris Mepham and Ethan Ampadu.

In these circumstances an unlikely rescue act proved beyond even captain Gareth Bale.

A frenetic start produced nothing of serious note until Poland skipper Robert Lewandowski managed a glancing header which was tidily saved by Wayne Hennessey, falling to his left.

The pace and skill of Nicola Zalevski and Piotr Zielinski on the left began to worry Wales but the Polish spell was snapped on the halfhour when Daniel James raced clear only to see his shot denied by keeper Wojciech Szczesny’s legs.

Hennessey, Szczesny’s opposite number, almost scuffed the ball over his own goal-line before Wales returned to the attack and Brennan Johnson’s shot was deflected wide of goal off the back of James.

Poland took the lead their neater play deserved in the 57th minute when a delicate touch from Lewandowski opened the path to goal for Karol Swiderski, steaming in from the left.

Wales now needed two goals to turn the tie and the table on its head. They stepped up their efforts. Bale had little coherent help though Daniel James did his best with his left-wing raids. Once he nearly deceived Szczesny with a skidding cross-shot which the keeper tipped wide of a post.

Bale headed a right-wing cross against the bar in stoppage time but by then Poland had killed the game efficiently enough to avoid relegation and condemn Wales instead.

The teams

Wales: Hennessey – Roberts, Rodon, Cabango, Norrington-Davies – James, Morrell, Levitt, N Williams – Johnson, Bale.

Poland: Szczesny – Bednarek, Glik, Kiwior – Bereszynski, Krychowiak, Zurkowski, Zalewski – Zielinski, Lewandowsku, Swiderski.

Referee: Andris Treimanis (Latvia).

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