Wales must play with handbrake off to earn overdue win against old foes England | Elis James

Wales had hoped for exotic World Cup opposition but must now aim to beat neighbours for the first time in 38 years

I watched Wales’s second game of the World Cup at Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. The same venue I saw the Strokes, Afrika Bambaataa and Roots Manuva play in my 20s, but there has never been a headliner at Clwb like Wales v Iran. As I walked through Cardiff city centre last Friday morning I saw pubs fill and football fans greet each other, alongside office workers purchasing that pillar of the 21st-century Welsh economy, the Boots Meal Deal. People having a pint at 9.35am because Wales are playing in the World Cup against opposition we haven’t met since 1978. We have always wanted this.

After the 1-1 draw with the USA in the opening game, fans hoped for a repeat of Euro 2020: a nervy stalemate in the first match against Switzerland followed by Bale and Ramsey rolling back the years to outclass Turkey and see us reach the last 16; Gareth and Aaron adding to the evidence that there are in fact two real Princes of Wales. We were all to be disappointed. A deserved win for Iran as a lacklustre Wales cracked in the final two minutes of stoppage time. Even a victory in the final group game may not be enough.