Garcia lauds Belgium mentality after seven-goal thriller with Wales

Rudi Garcia said that he was relieved that his Belgium came through on the winning side of their World Cup qualifier with Wales, lauding their mentality in their triumph. 

Belgium were 4-3 victors thanks to Kevin De Bruyne's 88th-minute winner, but the Red Devils had been cruising heading into the half-time interval at the Stade Roi Baudouin. 

Indeed, after 26 minutes and 55 seconds, Belgium took their third-fastest 3-0 lead over the past 15 years, with those other two games ending 8-1 (against Estonia in 2016) and 9-0 (against Gibraltar in 2017) respectively. 

But Craig Bellamy's team roared back in the contest as Harry Wilson's penalty in first-half stoppage time was followed up by strikes from Sorba Thomas and Brennan Johnson after the break to level up the contest with 20 minutes remaining. 

However, De Bruyne had the final say two minutes from time, netting his fifth goal against Wales, more than he has managed against any opposition he has faced in his international career. 

Belgium are now unbeaten in their last 42 qualifying matches (EUROs/World Cup) since a 1-0 loss at Wales in June 2015 (W36 D6). Among European nations, only Italy (56 between 2006 and 2017) and England (43 between 2009 and 2019) have had longer unbeaten runs in qualifying.

While Garcia lauded his team's mentality to find a winner after surrendering their lead, he acknowledged defensive improvements needed to be made. 

"The most important thing is that we won. Psychologically it is tough to give away a three-goal lead, but we showed our mental strength," said Garcia. 

"We kept fighting. It is symbolic that Kevin, of all people, scored the winning goal."

De Bruyne had been a key factor throughout, ghosting in at the back post to convert Youri Tielemans' cross for the winner.

Tielemans, who was captain for the game and scored Belgium's second goal in the 19th minute, said relief was the primary emotion after the game.

"We are happy with the victory, but we know that should not have happened to us," he said of the Welsh comeback.

"I have no explanation for how that happened. But the craziest things can happen with the national team.

"We felt we could finish the match earlier, but then we dropped off a bit. Then we conceded a goal and their confidence grew. They were simply the better team at that moment.

"We had to defend together as a team, choose the right moment to react and get back into the match, but we didn't do that well."

For Wales, meanwhile, it was their first defeat under Bellamy in his 10th game in charge, with the former Liverpool winger falling just short of Mark Hughes' unbeaten record. 

Wales are now winless in their last five meetings with Belgium (D2 L3), since a 3-1 win at Euro 2016 under Chris Coleman, though Bellamy was proud of his players. 

"I don't like losing. I understand the game, but how you lose is more important," Bellamy said. 

"Who are you as a person? Who is your team? I see that and I'm beyond proud. We're a good team.

"I understand results, I really do, but football means more to me than that. It always has done. I'd rather try something great and fail than do nothing and succeed.

"To come to a top-eight team [in the world rankings] and can we play the way we want to play? I think the Belgium players saw it as well. 

"Think I read something from the Belgium media – 'an easy way to the USA'? There's a lot of life in this group and today I saw a lot of life in this team.

"We aren't going anywhere. I will have a couple of weeks now of recharging, but I'm beyond proud and really excited about the future."

The result saw Wales slip to second in Group J after North Macedonia's 1-0 win over Kazakhstan, while Belgium are now three points behind them with two games in hand.