‘Unnecessary’ – Welsh media reacts after what Ethan Ampadu just did away from Leeds
Ethan Ampadu will miss Wales’ decisive final World Cup Qualifying group game against North Macedonia after receiving a yellow card against Liechtenstein.
Ampadu was one of 14 Leeds United players called up by their national teams for the November international break.
The Leeds captain has had an inconsistent start to the season, much like most players at Elland Road.
As a result, he would’ve wanted to move on from Leeds’ latest 3-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest over the international break. However, the midfielder’s stint with his country hasn’t gone to plan.
Ethan Ampadu receives mixed reaction to booking
Ampadu captained Wales in their 1-0 win over Liechtenstein in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers on Saturday.
It was an important win for Wales in their quest to qualify for the World Cup.
However, the midfielder picked up a second yellow card in Wales’ qualifying group, which means they will be without Ampadu when they face North Macedonia in their final game.
Ampadu’s booking received mixed reactions from the Welsh media.
Ampadu has struggled for Wales during this World Cup qualifying campaign, and his suspension will no doubt come as another blow.
Meanwhile, Wales Online wrote on 15 November that Ampadu “displayed his typical composure throughout and dictated play nicely.” However, they noted his challenge was “rash” while rating his performance a six.
The Football Faithful also commented on how well he controlled the tempo from the midfield and “recycled possession with ease.”
- His passes were 87 per cent accurate
- Ampadu made one key pass
- He completed 100 per cent of his dribbles
Despite this, his night was ruined by a rash and “unnecessary challenge” that earned him a “costly” suspension.
Either way, Wales will be without one of their most important players for their decisive game against North Macedonia.
Can Wales still qualify for the 2026 World Cup?
In short, yes, but it will be difficult with several key players unavailable.
Wales need to beat North Macedonia in their final group game in Cardiff to finish second in Group J behind Belgium and guarantee a home play-off semi-final in March.
Failure to win at Cardiff City Stadium would still see them make the play-offs due to their Nations League success, but they’d play away for the semi-final, which will be fought over one leg.
Jordan James was also booked against Liechtenstein, and a decisive victory against North Macedonia will be tough without both him and Ampadu.
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