You’d have been forgiven for thinking it was a sudden instance of double vision. Not just at the end of full-time, but in the subsequent penalty shoot-out drama. They were in, they were out. They were in again, they were out again. The twists and turns, flipping from one screen to the other, were engrossing. But in the end, for Wales and the Republic of Ireland, there will be no final play-off showdown for a treasured spot stateside this summer.
It was a heartbreaking conclusion to the evening for both nations. Wales, hosting Bosnia and Herzegovina in their Cardiff cauldron, had their game in the palm of their hands after Dan James’s screamer. Ireland even more so, 2-0 to the good and cruising in the first-half. Yet ultimately, it all came crashing down in a manner football fans in this part of the world are well used to by now.
