EXCLUSIVE BY WILL KELLEHER: Wayne Pivac's side were due to play Japan in Shizuoka on June 27 before jetting down to New Zealand for a two-Test series shortly afterwards.

After the Lord Mayor’s show of Euro 2016, Wales provided an emphatic performance to indicate more good times on the big stage lie ahead after defeating Moldova 4-0 in Cardiff.

Despite threatening to cause a late upset in the match, Wales fell to defeat by Croatia in Osijek courtesy of a James Lawrence own-goal and an Ivan Perisic strike.

Croatia are unbeaten in any home qualifying game stretching back to 2013 so this was never going to be a day where Daniel James was going to get to show off his full attacking ability.

LAURIE WHITWELL AT THE STADION GRADSKI At the final whistle Wales players fell like dominoes. Heat being one cause, but also a sense of defeat to Croatia being a huge missed opportunity.

Giggs is expected to make changes to his Wales team for the crunch qualifier against Hungary, with Brooks in contention to start after coming off the bench in defeat to score against Croatia.

Ryan Giggs has brushed aside fears that his Wales players could be the target for racism during their Euro 2020 qualifier against Hungary.

Ryan Giggs believes that Gareth Bale will shake off his Real Madrid rustiness in time for Wales' vital Euro qualifier against Hungary in Budapest today as the squad look to bounce back from defeat in Croatia. 

LAURIE WHITWELL AT THE GROUPAMA ARENA: This ended up being a disastrous night for Wales in Budapest. A performance that contained encouragement finished in crushing defeat.

Ryan Giggs' Wales side now trail Group E leaders Hungary by six points after defeat in Budapest, albeit with a game in hand, and are three adrift of Slovakia and Croatia in the race for a top-two spot.

Wales manager Ryan Giggs faces a dressing-room rebellion as his side struggles to qualify for Euro 2020. Defeats by Croatia and Hungary have left Wales fourth of five teams in Group E.

NIK SIMON AT THE PRINCIPALITY STADIUM: Someone delivered a pot of fool's gold to Cardiff and Eddie Jones brought along a giant spoon to stir it up.

Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey are ready to boost Ryan Giggs' bid to get Wales' Euro 2020 campaign back on track. They suffered two away defeats in June.

Wales manager Ryan Giggs says captain Ashley Williams was left out of the squad for next month's crunch Euro 2020 qualifier against Azerbaijan because he has not had a pre-season.

Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey will miss Wales' forthcoming international fixtures against Azerbaijan and Belarus. It is believed that Ramsey's absence may be due to his lacking of match fitness.

KIERAN GILL AT THE CARDIFF CITY STADIUM: Wales got the Euro 2020 qualifying win they desperately needed, with help from the most calamitous own goal and a Gareth Bale winner.

Wales manager Ryan Giggs will consult star man Gareth Bale to see if he can play in Monday's friendly against Belarus, insisting he will not be 'stupid' regarding the forward's fitness.

James has been in outstanding scoring form since his summer switch from Swansea to Manchester United, and the 21-year-old winger was on target again after 17 minutes.

Since completing his big-money move from Spurs in 2013, Bale has been routinely criticised for not fully immersing himself into Spanish culture, with many claiming the winger cannot speak the language.

The Slovak FA released a statement on Sunday saying that UEFA had punished them for their supporters' misbehaviour during the 2-1 win in Hungary on September 9.

UEFA has confirmed that Slovakia's next competitive home fixture, the Group E clash against Wales at the Stadion Antona Malatinskeho in Trnava on October 10, must be played without spectators.

The Football Association of Wales (FAW) was told on Monday that the national team's 2,137-strong following would be barred from the Group E fixture at the Stadion Antona Malatinskeho.

The Derby forward, who was charged with drink driving last month, has retained his place in Ryan Giggs' squad after returning to action for his club on Wednesday in their 2-2 draw at Barnsley.

Wales will check on Aaron Ramsey's fitness when the Juventus midfielder joins up with Ryan Giggs' squad ahead of the Euro 2020 qualifier against Slovakia.

Aaron Ramsey will learn on Tuesday if he will be involved in Wales' Euro 2020 qualifiers against Slovakia and Croatia after he had a scan on a thigh injury.

The partnership will see the BT logo appear on the training kits worn by the men's, women's, youth and disability teams of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland from November.

Aaron Ramsey has remained in Cardiff in order to concentrate on regaining full fitness for Sunday's game against Croatia. He has been nursing an injury to his adductor muscle.

Gareth Bale appeared to be heading for the exit in the summer - with a £1m a week contract with Jiangsu Suning on the table - after his relationship with Zinedine Zidane hit rock bottom.

TOM COLLOMOSSE IN TRNAVA: Former lifeguard Kieffer Moore kept Wales' Euro 2020 qualification hopes afloat with a goal on his competitive debut to earn Ryan Giggs' team a vital point.

TOM COLLOMOSSE IN TRNAVA: Ryan Giggs hailed Kieffer Moore after the former lifeguard kept Wales' Euro 2020 qualifying hopes alive with a goal on his competitive debut.

EXCLUSIVE INVESTIGATION:David Cotterill is facing legal action from at least seven former team-mates after being accused of cheating them out of a combined total of almost £400,000.

Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey faces a late fitness test ahead of their Euro 2020 qualifier against Croatia on Sunday. Ramsey suffered a thigh injury during Juventus' win over Inter Milan last week.

The news comes as a big blow to Ryan Giggs - who was hoping the 28-year-old would regain match fitness after not featuring in the national side for 11 months.

Wales fought to a creditable draw at home against Croatia but qualification for Euro 2020 is now out of their hands. 

TOM COLLOMOSSE AT THE CARDIFF CITY STADIUM: Gareth Bale had Wales daring to dream of a Euro 2020 place, on a night when Daniel James suffered a sickening blow to the head.

Ryan Giggs has claimed Daniel James was 'acting' despite TV cameras appearing to show the winger knocked unconscious against Croatia on Sunday night. 

Wales captain Ashley Williams says he would lead his team-mates off the pitch if they were subjected to the same racist abuse as England were in Bulgaria.

Swansea manager Steve Cooper revealed after the 1-0 win over Cardiff that the 22-year-old will be out for two months with an ankle tendon injury. Rodon will have surgery this week.

Gareth Bale faces a race against time to prove he is fully fit for Wales' decisive Euro 2020 qualifiers later this month. The Real Madrid forward has not played since Wales' 1-1 draw with Croatia.

A calf injury has ruled him out of Real's last four games in all competitions, and he won't feature at home to Galatasaray in the Champions League on Wednesday, according to Real manager Zidane.

Gareth Bale has been named in the Wales squad for the decisive Euro 2020 qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Hungary despite a calf problem. He has not played since October 13.

Gareth Bale trained with the Wales squad ahead of their decisive Euro 2020 qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Hungary. Real Madrid star Bale has not played since suffering a calf injury.

Raheem Sterling will miss Thursday's Euro 2020 qualifier against Montenegro at Wembley after an altercation with Joe Gomez at St George's Park.

Wales defender Ben Davies confirmed Bale completed Tuesday's session in its entirety and he now seems certain to start against Azerbaijan in Baku on Saturday, despite missing the past month.

TOM COLLOMOSSE: The Wigan forward is expected to lead the line for Ryan Giggs' side in the Euro 2020 qualifier against Azerbaijan on Saturday.

Gareth Bale heads into Wales' decisive Euro 2020 qualifiers admitting he is more excited to play for his country than Real Madrid. Bale has been at the centre of a Spanish media storm.

Wales face Azerbaijan on Saturday afternoon knowing that nothing less than victroy can keep alive their hopes of automatic qualification for Euro 2020. Follow the action here with KIERAN JACKSON.

TOM COLLOMOSSE IN BAKU: Wales comfortably beat Azerbaijan in their penultimate Euro 2020 qualification match to set up an almighty showdown against Hungary in Cardiff.

Ryan Giggs appears finally to have discovered a successful formula for Wales - and he is within touching distance of being able to use it on one of football's greatest stages.

Gareth Bale believes Wales reaching the European Championship next summer could trump the achievement of playing at Euro 2016. Wales ended a 58-year wait in 2016.