Gareth Bale claimed a point for Wales as they drew 1-1 with World Cup runners-up Croatia on Sunday night which left their Euro 2020 qualifying hopes on a knife-edge. Bale, who has had a difficult start to the season at Real Madrid, scored during first-half injury time after Nikola Vlasic’s opener for Zlatko Dalic’s men.
Ryan Giggs’ Wales side now face a trip to Azerbaijan before hosting Hungary in November. Croatia’s Dalic host Slovakia on November 16.  
The first chance of the match fell to Josip Brekalo but the Croatia left-back’s effort from outside the box went wide. Dalic’s outfit took the lead on just nine minutes. Brekalo broke down the left flank, found Bruno Petkovic inside the box who laid off the ball to Vlasic, who smoothly beat goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey. Wales’ first shot on target came shortly afterwards with Bale testing Dominik Livakovic with a half-volley.
Hennessey then made up for failing to stop Vlasic’s effort on 13 minutes when he dived down low to stop an Ivan Perisic shot. On the quarter-hour mark, Manchester United’s Daniel James, who threatened without much final product throughout, suffered what looked like a concussion. The former Swansea winger competed with Domagoj Vida for a high ball and the Welshman finished motionless on the ground. He received medical treatment and Giggs said afterwards he had no worries about James. 
Wales pressed for an equaliser and Bale claimed it in injury time. Tottenham defender Ben Davies beat Mateo Kovacic and found Bale inside the box who cooly placed his shot across Livakovic for his 33rd international goal.
Barcelona playmaker Ivan Rakitic replaced Kovacic for the second half. Wales forward Kieffer Moore, who scored on his international debut in the midweek draw at Slovakia, caused Croatia’s defence trouble in the air throughout.
The only negative came on 57 minutes after he was shown a yellow card for a challenge on Liverpool centre-back Dejan Lovren. Bale’s Real teammate Luka Modric was substituted due to injury with a leg problem but Dalic said he hoped it was nothing serious. The Welsh winger himself struggled with cramp through the closing moments. The draw leaves Wales’ qualifying destiny out of their own hands heading into the final two rounds of games. But wins away to Azerbaijan and at home to Hungary would be enough for a top-two spot, as long as Slovakia do not beat Croatia.


Poland, Russia qualify as 
Germany, Netherlands close in
Meanwhile, Poland and Russia secured their places at Euro 2020 on Sunday night with victories over North Macedonia and Cyprus respectively, while Germany and the Netherlands boosted their hopes of reaching the finals.
Russia eased to a 5-0 thrashing of 10-man Cyprus, with Poland joining them, Belgium and Italy in qualifying this week by seeing off North Macedonia 2-0. Stanislav Cherchesov’s Russia, who reached the World Cup quarter-finals on home soil last year, only had to avoid defeat in Nicosia to follow Belgium in qualifying from Group I.
Poland went into their game against North Macedonia knowing victory would punch their ticket for the Euros. 
They were forced to be patient by the visitors, who could qualify through the playoffs after winning their Nations League group if they fail to do so automatically. But Przemyslaw Frankowski prodded home less than 60 seconds after coming on as a substitute in the 74th minute, before Akardiusz Milik made the points safe. Poland remain three points clear of Austria, who won 1-0 in Slovenia, at the top of Group G, with North Macedonia and Slovenia five points further adrift.
Ronald Koeman’s Netherlands remained at the top of Group C ahead of Germany on head-to-head record with a nervy 2-1 win over Belarus in Minsk. The Dutch lead third-placed Northern Ireland by three points after beating Michael O’Neill’s side 3-1 on Thursday.
Victory in Belfast over the Northern Irish next month would secure the Oranje a first appearance at a major tournament since finishing third at the 2014 World Cup. Germany eased to a 3-0 victory in Estonia despite seeing Emre Can sent off in the 14th minute. 
Ilkay Gundogan scored twice, with Timo Werner also finding the net. Joachim Loew’s side host Northern Ireland in their final game, which could decide second place. 
 
Euro 2020 qualifying results
Group C: At Minsk: Belarus 1 (Dragun 54) Netherlands 2 (Wijnaldum 32, 41); At Tallinn: Estonia 0 Germany 3 (Gundogan 51, 57, Werner 71)
Group E: At Budapest: Hungary 1 
(Korhut 10) Azerbaijan 0; At Cardiff: Wales 1 (Bale 45+3) Croatia 1 (Vlasic 9)
Group G: At Ljubljana: Slovenia 0 Austria 1 (Posch 21); At Warsaw: Poland 2 (Frankowski 74, Milik 80) North 
Macedonia 0
Group I: At Nur-Sultan: Kazakhstan 0 Belgium 2 (Batshuayi 21, Meunier 53); At Nicosia: Cyprus 0 Russia 5 (Cheryshev 9, 90+2, Ozdoev 23, Dzyuba 79, Golovin 89); At Glasgow, Scotland: Scotland 6 (McGinn 12, 27, 45+1, Shankland 65, Findlay 67,  Armstrong 87) San Marino 0