Wales are heading to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with Gareth Bale and Wayne Hennessey ending Ukraine’s dreams in a 1-0 win at Cardiff.
Robert Page’s side will take on England, the USA and Iran in Group B of the tournament after making it through a tough qualifying process.
Bale’s 34th-minute free-kick was enough to decide the play-off tie with a trademark left-footed strike deflecting in off West Ham’s Andriy Yarmolenko.
Ukraine dominated the ball and had several chances, but a controversial penalty call and heroics from Burnley keeper Hennessey kept them at bay.
Just before half-time, Yarmolenko nearly became the hero when he was kicked by Joe Allen in the Wales box, and talkSPORT pundit Dean Saunders was shocked to see a penalty not given.
“For me that’s a stonewall penalty,” he said. “We’ve got away with one there, Ukraine are absolutely battering us through midfield.”
Ukraine, playing amidst a Russian invasion of their home country, left their best effort until late on when Hennessey made a stunning save from a goal-bound Artem Dovbyk header.
Ben Davies followed up to deny the rebound in an inspired night from the Tottenham defender, who made a series of crucial blocks and tackles.
So much so that Saunders said: “This is the longest 20 minutes in the history of Welsh football ahead,” as Davies and his teammates held on.
The Dragons have missed a whopping 15 World Cups since their last appearance brought a quarter-final in Sweden in 1958.
They have, however, been a different animal in the Euros in recent years, reaching the knockout rounds of the last two editions.
Euro 2016 saw an incredible run to the semi-finals, which came after a group stage defeat to England, who they will again face in Qatar on November 29.