Wales Face Challenges Ahead of World Cup Qualifier Against Kazakhstan
For Wales, Thursday’s World Cup qualifier against Kazakhstan comes with significant hurdles. Preparing for the match on an artificial pitch at the Astana Arena, the team must balance training time with recovery. Wales arrived in Astana after an eight-hour direct flight from Cardiff, avoiding Ukrainian airspace. Their only full squad session will take place 24 hours before kick-off, with players adapting to a two-hour time difference rather than four.
Among the traveling supporters, John McAllister stands out for his remarkable journey. Inspired by a television program, the 26-year-old from Barry, south Wales, began his trip five weeks ago on July 29. Since then, he has covered roughly 5,000km on his way to Kazakhstan, documenting the adventure in YouTube videos. While over 1,100 Wales fans will attend the game, McAllister is the only one directly acknowledged by manager Craig Bellamy, who said, "We’ve got to see him, because it means so much to us."
McAllister, a frequent traveler with the Welsh team, admits this is one of his most distant trips. The match will be his 12th stop. He highlights a Champions League clash between Fenerbahçe and Feyenoord in Istanbul as his favorite, recalling the intense atmosphere and joining local fans in a nearby park before the game. In Belgrade, he attended three matches, and in Almaty, near China’s border, he paid just £1.35 for a second-tier game. "I’ll watch anything," he says. "But my usual routine is watching Barry Town in the Cymru Premier League."
His journey began with stops in France, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, and England on the first day. He then crossed the Balkans and took a 36-hour train through Turkey into Georgia. While in Tbilisi, wearing a Cymru shirt, a stranger recognized him—a man from Rhoose, a village near Barry. "He invited me to his stag do," McAllister said. "So I ended up celebrating with 30 strangers."
A night of Georgian brandy led to a wedding invitation, but McAllister had to decline—his flight to Atyrau in northwest Kazakhstan was the same day. He reluctantly took the flight, preferring to avoid air travel when possible, but options were limited.
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