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Watch Two Brilliant Gareth Bale Goals Put Wales 90 Minutes Away From 2022 World Cup

Watch Real Madrid outcast Gareth Bale produce two moments of magic to help Wales beat Austria and move to within one game of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Robert Summerscales

Watch Two Brilliant Gareth Bale Goals Put Wales 90 Minutes Away From 2022 World Cup
Watch Two Brilliant Gareth Bale Goals Put Wales 90 Minutes Away From 2022 World Cup /

Gareth Bale produced two moments of magic to help Wales move to within one game of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Bale scored a brilliant free-kick to send the Cardiff City Stadium into raptures after 25 minutes of Thursday's play-off semi-final.

He then scored again in the second half when he took the ball from former Tottenham teammate Ben Davies before lashing into the top corner.

Bale had played just 83 minutes of club football for Real Madrid since August.

The Real Madrid forward was a fitness doubt before kick-off, having been left out of the his club's squad for Sunday's 4-0 defeat by Barcelona.

But wearing the Welsh Dragon on his chest, the number 11 on his back and the captain's armband around his left bicep, he looked in fine shape.

No more so than when he celebrated his stunning free-kick by sprinting towards a corner flag and sliding across the pitch on his front.

Gareth Bale slides on his chest after scoring a brilliant free-kick for Wales against Austria in a 2022 World Cup qualifier
Gareth Bale was the two-goal hero as Wales beat Austria on Thursday :: IMAGO/Sportimage/Darren Staples

The goal celebration which followed his second goal was marginally more subdued. It saw him slap the Welsh badge on his shirt while staring down the lens of a nearby camera.

Welsh celebrations were put on hold when Austria pulled a goal back with 25 minutes remaining.

Marcel Sabitzer's shot from long range was deflected past Wayne Hennessey by Davies, who was later credited with an own goal.

But Wales held on to secure a 2-1 victory and set up a winner-takes-all qualifier against either Scotland or Ukraine.

That semi-final between Scotland and Ukraine was postponed due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine last month.

The match is now expected to take place in June, with the winner playing Wales days later. Whoever wins that final will be the last team to qualify for the World Cup.

The other two qualifying finals will be played on Tuesday, before the draw for the 2022 FIFA World Cup is made on Friday, April 1.

Wales are therefore guaranteed to be in the draw, although only provisionally as 'Wales, Scotland or Ukraine' for now.

If Wales do go on to qualify for Qatar 2022 it will be only their second ever appearance at a World Cup.

Their first came at Sweden 1956, where they drew all three group matches, before beating Hungary in a playoff and then losing to Brazil in the quarter-finals.

Gareth Bale pictured striking a free-kick which gave Wales a 1-0 lead over Austria in a 2022 World Cup qualifier
Bale opened the scoring with a brilliant free kick on 25 minutes :: IMAGO/Sportimage/Darren Staples
Gareth Bale pats the crest on his shirt after scoring against Austria in a 2022 World Cup qualifier
After scoring second goal, Bale tapped the Wales badge on his chest :: IMAGO/Nick Potts
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Robert Summerscales
ROBERT SUMMERSCALES

Robert Summerscales launched FanNation Futbol in February 2022. Rob is a British journalist who previously spent two years on the sports desk at the Daily Mail in London, having earlier served as editor of CaughtOffside.com. He has been to the last two FIFA Men's World Cups, in Russia and Qatar, and is looking forward to completing his hat-trick in North America in 2026.