Wales produced one of the most electrifying nights in their recent history, annihilating North Macedonia 7-1 to clinch a pivotal home semi-final in the World Cup play-offs.
With Ethan Ampadu absent, Harry Wilson donned the captain’s armband and delivered a flawless individual performance, scoring a hat-trick that included two penalties and a sublime 25-yard free-kick.
Manager Craig Bellamy, returning to the touchline after his suspension, took a bold tactical gamble by deploying Josh Sheehan as a lone holding midfielder to accommodate a fluid “three No. 10s” system. It paid off spectacularly. David Brooks, Brennan Johnson, Daniel James, and substitute Nathan Broadhead all joined Wilson on the scoresheet in a ruthless display that Bellamy described as “close to the perfect performance.”
What a performance 🤩 pic.twitter.com/uH8olmOyyI
— Wales 🏴 (@Cymru) November 18, 2025
Here is how the players rated on a famous night in Cardiff:
Wales Player Ratings vs North Macedonia
Goalkeeper & Defence
Karl Darlow – 6/10 Largely a spectator on a night where his teammates ran riot, though he will be frustrated with the visitors’ only goal. An unfortunate slip on the slick surface left him helpless for Bojan Miovski’s finish, but he recovered his composure to make a smart stop before half-time.
Neco Williams – 8/10 A relentless engine down the right flank. In fact, he was incredibly unlucky not to score when the goalkeeper tipped his powerful drive onto the post. Furthermore, his constant overlapping runs kept North Macedonia pinned back in their own half all evening.
Dylan Lawlor – 7/10 Another assured outing for the young defender. Since Wales dominated possession, his defensive workload was light. However, he showed great maturity to step out and pass the ball with confidence.
Joe Rodon – 7/10 The senior voice in defence, he organised the backline efficiently and ensured there were no further slip-ups after the visitors’ consolation goal. Substituted late on to a well-deserved ovation.
Every day, when I wake up, I thank the Lord I'm Welsh 🏴 pic.twitter.com/shRqNHM5V8
— Wales 🏴 (@Cymru) November 18, 2025
Jay Dasilva – 8/10 A quietly brilliant performance. He offered superb width on the left, stretching the play and linking seamlessly with Brennan Johnson to tear the opposition’s right flank apart.
Midfield & Attack
Josh Sheehan – 8/10 Tasked with the daunting role of lone holding midfielder in a bold tactical shift, he was superb. He cleared the danger efficiently and moved the ball quickly to the forward line. This provided the perfect platform for the attackers to flourish.
Liam Cullen – 8/10 Deployed in a deeper, hardworking role, he acted as the team’s engine. This allowed the star players to shine. His pressing was relentless. In fact, he won the ball back high up the pitch repeatedly to sustain Wales’ attacks.
David Brooks – 9/10 Drifted inside from the right to cause chaos. He won the first penalty and scored the second goal with a sharp finish. He was at the heart of Wales’ best one-touch football, including a delightful pass in the build-up to Daniel James’ goal.
Harry Wilson – 10/10 (Player of the Match) A simply flawless performance from the stand-in captain. He led by example with a clinical hat-trick. This included two calm penalties and a sublime 25-yard free-kick. Beyond the goals, his creativity and leadership were world-class.
THIS IS HARRY'S HOUSE 👑 pic.twitter.com/7RVTYqsRPo
— Wales 🏴 (@Cymru) November 18, 2025
Brennan Johnson – 9/10 Electric. He terrified the defence with his direct running and scored the goal of the night—a stunning curling effort into the top corner from outside the box that restored Wales’ two-goal cushion.
Daniel James – 9/10 Used his blistering pace to stretch the game, creating pockets of space for Wilson and Brooks. He got the goal his performance deserved in the second half, slotting home after a clever team move involving a Wilson backheel.
Substitutes
Sorba Thomas (for D. James, 64′) – 7/10 Maintained the intensity on the wing and ensured there was no let-up for the tired Macedonian defence.
Nathan Broadhead (for Brooks, 64′) – 7/10 Came on hungry for a goal and got it, tapping in late on to seal the 7-1 scoreline.
Chris Mepham (for Rodon, 82′) – 6/10 A steady late cameo to see out the match.
Ronan Kpakio (for N. Williams, 82′) – 6/10 Handed valuable minutes in a party atmosphere.
Isaak Davies (for Cullen, 85′) – 7/10 A memorable debut. He made an instant impact with a clever flick-on to set up Broadhead’s goal.
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