Ampadu ‘gutted’ to miss crunch North Macedonia tie

World Cup qualifier: Wales v North Macedonia

Venue: Cardiff City Stadium Date: Tuesday 18 November Kick-off: 19:45 GMT

Ethan Ampadu says he is “gutted” to have received a second yellow card of Wales’ World Cup qualifying campaign which means he will be suspended for Tuesday’s decisive final group game against North Macedonia.

Ampadu was booked in the 86th minute of Wales’ 1-0 win in Liechtenstein on Saturday, a game in which he captained his country in the absence of Ben Davies and Aaron Ramsey.

It was a costly evening for Wales, whose goalscorer Jordan James also picked up a second-half yellow card two minutes after scoring, meaning he will be banned for North Macedonia as well.

Wales need to win that match at Cardiff City Stadium to finish second in Group J and secure a home play-off semi-final in March.

“I am very gutted,” Ampadu told BBC Match of the Day Wales. “It’s annoying because I don’t think I touched the guy and I won the ball.

Former Wales captain Ashley Williams sympathised with Ampadu, telling BBC Match of the Day Wales: “I didn’t think Ethan Ampadu’s was a yellow.

“He has every right to go for the ball. His foot’s high, so is the other player’s foot, and [Ampadu] gets to the ball first. I don’t even think it’s a foul.”

As head coach Craig Bellamy has previously explained, Wales are not blessed with many central midfielders even when everyone is available.

It is a major blow, therefore, to be without both members of their first-choice pairing against North Macedonia.

“It’s disappointing to get booked,” said James. “You don’t think about it on the pitch, they were on the counter-attack and I had to stop it.

“I think we have enough in the squad to win it on Tuesday. I am disappointed, but I’ll be supporting the lads from the sidelines.”

Bellamy had to watch from the stands in Liechtenstein because he was suspended after receiving a second yellow card of the campaign for dissent during last month’s defeat by Belgium, meaning assistant boss Piet Cremers led the team in his absence.

“We will adapt [without James and Ampadu]. We have a big group. They have all played before,” said Cremers.