Updated / Tuesday, 25 Mar 2025 22:31
David Brooks salvaged a precious 1-1 World Cup qualifying draw for **Wales** against **North Macedonia** with almost the last kick of the match in Skopje.
It was an emotional night for North Macedonia who were playing their first home fixture since 59 people died in a nightclub fire in the town of Kocani earlier this month.
Wales were the better side throughout but they suffered a sucker punch in a dramatic finish that saw North Macedonia score in the first minute of stoppage time.
Substitute Joe Allen's horrible back pass was intended for Joe Rodon but was cut out by Bojan Miovski and he finished brilliantly, slotting the ball under Karl Darlow.
Wales seemed down and out but in the sixth extra minute Kieffer Moore got his head to a long ball and Brooks squeezed the ball across the line.
With favourites Belgium yet to kick a ball in Group J, it could still prove a costly draw for Wales in the race for an automatic place at the 2026 finals in Canada, Mexico and United States.
Elsewhere, Erling Haaland left it late to get his name on the scoresheet as **Norway** maintained a perfect start to their World Cup qualifying campaign with a 4-2 victory over **Israel** in Debrecen.
Erling Haaland was late to get on the scoresheet but helped to maintain Norway's perfect start
Group I rivals **Estonia** opened their account with a 3-2 win in **Moldova** in which both sides finished with 10 men as home defender Maxim Cojocaru and visiting midfielder Kevor Palumets were sent off. Mihail Caimacov ensured a tense conclusion with a stoppage-time strike to put his side one up.
First-half goals from Maksim Samorodov and Aleksandr Marochkin ensured **Kazakhstan** bounced back from Saturday’s 3-1 defeat in Wales with a 2-0 victory over minnows **Liechtenstein**.
In Group L, Patrik Schick was among the goals as **Czech Republic** beat **Gibraltar** 4-0 in Faro.
And Edvin Kuc came off the bench to spare **Montenegro’**s blushes with the only goal in the sixth minute of stoppage time to clinch a home victory over **Faroe Islands**, ranked 64 places below his side.