Last week it was Gareth Bale who was the subject of great adulation, in these parts at least, but this was a night that belonged to his longstanding sidekick Wayne Hennessey.
On an evening when Hennessey became the third Welshman to reach 100 caps for his country, a youngster at the other end of his career, Rubin Colwill, scored his first senior goal to cancel out Tomas Soucek’s opener for the Czech Republic.
Bale arrived from the bench for the final nine minutes and forced a fine save from an awkward angle but it is fair to say he has ample credit in the bank.
It was always going to be impossible for this friendly to live up to anything remotely close to the joyous scenes here six days ago, when Bale’s double put Wales within a game of a first World Cup since 1958, but while the concourses were empty by comparison, a lively draw was played at an engaging pace in front of a crowd that departed with Friday’s draw in Qatar at the forefront of their minds. Brennan Johnson was particularly lively and came close to notching a winner.
A visibly emotional Hennessey was withdrawn to a warm ovation after an hour and after departing the pitch he made his way along the home dugout, shaking hands with backroom staff and substitutes. At the end of a long line Bale was waiting to give him a bear hug. He was never going to miss Hennessey’s special occasion. The pair have become best friends since meeting on Wales Under-21s duty and both described their close relationship as a “bromance” in the buildup to this game. At full time Bale was quick to push the goalkeeper in front of the Canton Stand to ensure he basked in his achievement.
“It was really nice for the supporters at the end to show their appreciation,” the interim Wales manager, Robert Page, said. “He is an absolute legend and deserves all the plaudits he is going to get. His best mate, Baleo, made sure that a fuss was made of him and it was an honour to be part of it as well.
“Baleo wanted to be involved on his best mate’s big moment. It was vice-versa when he got his [Bale celebrated 100 caps in November], and Gunts [Chris Gunter, last March].”
Page said he would be “like every other Welsh supporter out there watching the draw” with a playoff final against either Scotland or Ukraine primed for June. Page made wholesale changes – Hennessey was the only player to keep his place from Thursday’s victory over Austria – but the system remained the same, Johnson and Rabbi Matondo playing either side of Colwill, the teenage Cardiff forward. Aaron Ramsey was omitted from the squad altogether and Ben Davies was absent after returning to Tottenham as a precaution. “We have to show respect to their clubs,” Page said.
“The most important game was against Austria. Job done. We didn’t need to risk Aaron. I made that decision not to have him and Joe Allen in the 23 [-man squad].”
Before kick-off Hennessey was presented with a gold cap and a commemorative award pitchside by his childhood hero, Neville Southall, and the Football Association of Wales president, Steve Williams. Beyond Hennessey’s special occasion, the game also raised funds for the Disasters Emergency Committee to help Ukraine, with the team making a donation and any FAW profits from staging the game will go towards the humanitarian appeal.
If the thought of Wales rousing themselves after Austria felt ambitious, this was probably the last trip the Czech Republic wanted, days on from losing their World Cup playoff semi-final in Sweden.
Hennessey’s first start for Wales came against the same opposition, across town at the Millennium Stadium in 2007, against a team spearheaded by Milan Baros and Jan Koller, and he made a smart save here before the visitors opened the scoring. Onrej Lingr was first to Jaroslav Zeleny’s cross and an alert Soucek smacked the loose ball home from near to the penalty spot.
Johnson was electric down the right flank and twice went close to nudging Wales in front in the second half. It was no surprise the Nottingham Forest forward laid on Wales’s leveller two minutes after Soucek struck. Johnson latched on to Gunter’s floated pass, eased past Tomas Petrasek and cut the ball back for Colwill to expertly sweep into the corner.
“The problem we have is keeping up with him,” Page said of Johnson. “Brennan has a great future in front of him.”
