Tottenham Hotspur defender Ben Davies played a crucial role for Wales on Tuesday night as they secured a dramatic 1-1 draw against North Macedonia in their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign. The experienced defender, who captained his national team, helped Wales earn a valuable point in a thrilling encounter at the Tose Proeski Arena in Skopje.
A Dramatic Late Twist in Skopje
Wales entered the match looking to build on their promising start to the qualifiers, having already picked up three points in their opening fixture. The game remained goalless for the majority of the contest, with both sides struggling to find a breakthrough. However, as stoppage time approached, a costly mistake from Joe Allen allowed North Macedonia to seize the lead, leaving Wales with little time to respond.
With the clock ticking down, Wales pushed forward in search of a late equalizer, throwing men forward in desperate attempts to salvage something from the game. Their persistence paid off in the dying moments of added time when David Brooks capitalized on a defensive error, smashing the ball into the net after a North Macedonian defender failed to clear Kieffer Moore’s header.
The goal, coming in the sixth minute of injury time, ensured Wales walked away with a point, leaving the players with mixed emotions—relieved to avoid defeat but frustrated at not having secured all three points.
Ben Davies Delivers a Solid Performance
For Davies, it was another night of leadership and consistency as he played the full 90 minutes and earned his 94th cap for Wales. The Tottenham defender received praise from the Welsh media for his performance, with his ability to drive the team forward and his solid defensive work earning recognition.
Welsh football outlet Clwb Peldroed awarded him a 7 out of 10, highlighting his intent to push forward and influence the game in attack. They wrote:
“Another solid display from the captain, as he looked to advance more with the ball compared to the home fixture and got the side moving in the right direction regularly.”
Similarly, Wales Online echoed this sentiment, also giving Davies a 7 out of 10, noting that while his performance might not have been flashy, it was a steady and assured showing:
“An understated but reasonably solid showing.”
Ben Davies Reflects on Wales’ Performance
Speaking after the game, Davies acknowledged the rollercoaster nature of the match, admitting that while the team was pleased to come away with a point, there was a sense of frustration at not having secured all three.
The £10 million-rated defender told Match of the Day Wales:
“It’s a bit of a rollercoaster. We felt like we were the only team in that game pushing to win it through most of the game. It was a crazy finish. We have to be happy to take away a point, but overall, if you look at how the game went, we’ve got to be disappointed not to take all three.”
Davies also expressed his pride in captaining the Welsh side, emphasizing the team’s unwavering commitment and fighting spirit:
*”I’m very proud of this team. It’s an honour to captain it. It was never in doubt that we were going to give it our all until the last minute. It’s the bare minimum we expect from this group—that we’re going to fight for everything, and everyone’s going to give their best.
Tonight is just another example of that. There is definitely stuff to improve on, but we will kick on from here.”*
Back to Club Duty with Tottenham
With the international break now concluded, Davies is set to return to Tottenham Hotspur as Ange Postecoglou’s side prepares for their next Premier League fixture. Spurs will face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge next Thursday night in what promises to be a crucial test for the North London club.
Davies’ solid form for Wales will give him confidence heading into the game, and Spurs fans will be hoping he can continue to deliver strong performances as the club aims to maintain its momentum in the league.
‘Another solid display’: Nation’s media Blown away by £10m Tottenham player for his international showing last night
