That's all from Cardiff today, so thank you for joining us and goodbye!
The comfortable margin of victory for Wales could prove telling in the final analysis, as they now lead the Czech Republic by two in terms of goal difference, with the battle for second place in Group E going right to the wire. Belarus complete their campaign rock-bottom of the section, while Wales await a mouthwatering clash with the world's top-ranked nation next week.
Following a comprehensive victory over limited opposition, a rapturous round of applause greets centurion Bale in his hometown, and Wales can feel thoroughly satisfied by their performance today. The Dragons roared out of the blocks early in the match and never looked back, assuming complete control following Ramsey's second goal, which put them three goals to the good. While three points at home to Belarus is hardly something to celebrate wildly, the manner of the Welsh win will raise hopes ahead of Belgium's visit on Tuesday evening.
90' + 3' FULL-TIME: WALES 5-1 BELARUS
W. Hennessey
D. Ward
90' + 1' Page allows himself a sentimental substitution, as Ward is withdrawn in the dying moments for veteran goalkeeper Hennessey to come on and pick up another cap.
H. Wilson
Assist
89' Capping a fine display for the Wales winger, Wilson's corner sets up the hosts' fifth goal.
C. Roberts
Goal
89' FIVE FOR WALES! In the latest of his surging runs into the box, Connor Roberts gets a feathered touch onto a cross and diverts the ball into the top corner. Finally, some reward for an energetic showing. Wales 5-1 Belarus!
E. Yablonskiy
Assist
87' Yablonskiy played a small part in the build-up, before Kontsevoy unleashed a stunning strike into the far corner of the net.
A. Kontsevoy
Goal
87' GREAT STRIKE! Allowed to dribble freely down the left, Kontsevoy cuts inside and hammers an unstoppable 20-yard effort inside Ward's left-hand post. A fantastic consolation goal for Belarus, but he really should have been closed down quicker by the Welsh defence. It is now 4-1 to Wales!
86' Only recently on as a substitute, Bakhar plants a header towards the centre of the goal, forcing Ward into his first real save.
85' Davies strikes a left-footed shot from the centre of the box, but it is comfortably saved in the bottom right corner by Chernik.
M. Ebong
Yellow Card
83' Yet another clear foul by Belarus sees Ebong booked for deliberately clipping a charging Tyler Roberts.
A. Kontsevoy
R. Yudenkov
82' Yudenkov also comes off for the final few minutes, with Kontsevoy on in his place.
I. Bakhar
V. Lisakovich
81' Belarus make further changes, as Lisakovich is now replaced by Bakhar.
80' Allen has a right-footed shot from just outside the box blocked by a Belarussian body, following a pass from substitute Morrell.
D. Antilevskiy
Yellow Card
78' Another crude challenge by the visiting side sees Williams brought down by Antilevskiy, who goes into the referee's notebook as a result.
B. Davies
Goal
77' THAT'S FOUR! Shortly after taking the armband from Ramsey, stand-in skipper Davies heads in his first-ever Wales goal from a Wilson cross, to cap a clinical display by the home side. Wales 4-0 Belarus!
H. Wilson
Assist
77' Wilson crossed from a corner, finding Davies to add Wales' fourth goal of the game.
T. Roberts
D. James
75' Having put in a typically industrious shift, James is withdrawn to be replaced by Tyler Roberts.
73' From Yudenkov's throughball, Yablonski tries a backheel in front of goal, but it goes wide of the target. Belatedly, the assistant then raises his flag to indicate an offside call.
R. Yuzepchuk
N. Zolotov
71' Zolotov comes off for Belarus, with Yuzepchuk being brought on in his place.
J. Morrell
A. Ramsey
71' Ramsey has certainly earned a break, and is spared the final 20 minutes by his manager, being replaced by Morrell in the hosts' midfield.
M. Ebong
V. Klimovich
70' Klimovich has struggled to make an impact, so is replaced by Ebong in midfield.
69' SO CLOSE! A tremendous surging run from the halfway line by Williams - where he aggressively retrieved the ball - ends in a dipping right-footed shot from the edge of the area, which just flies over the crossbar. The left-sided wing-back really has excelled today.
67' Allen wins a free-kick wide out on the right, but Wilson's cross is then comfortably cleared by the Belarussian defence.
65' Only a corner is given after Selyava makes contact with James in the area, despite loud penalty claims from the 27,000 Wales fans present in the stadium.
63' Wales continue to press on in pursuit of a fourth goal, as Belarus look increasingly rudderless and lacking in hope. Despite their healthy lead, the hosts want more!
61' JUST WIDE! Superb work from Williams on the left-hand side finds his opposite wing-back Roberts in a central position deep inside the area. However, he mishits his shot, which runs narrowly wide of the post.
D. Antilevskiy
P. Sedko
60' Belarus make their first change of the match, as Sedko is withdrawn and Antilevskiy comes on to earn his sixth senior cap.
E. Ampadu
Yellow Card
59' To his great frustration - as he now misses the Belgium match - Ampadu is booked for colliding with Klimovich in an aerial challenge.
56' Without seriously threatening to pull a goal back, Sedko strikes a left-footed shot from outside the box wide of the target.
54' Wales counter quickly, and a Williams cross from high up on the left nearly finds Johnson. Zolotov then concedes a corner, but Roberts can only send the ball out for a goal-kick having connected with the cross.
52' Belarus come close to breaking through, as Ward is left struggling to keep the ball out with the Welsh defence spreadeagled. However, the assistant's flag is then belatedly raised for offside. That was a let-off for the home side.
A. Ramsey
Penalty Goal
50' WALES HAVE A THIRD! Coolly as ever, Ramsey slots his penalty low to the right - sending the goalkeeper the wrong way. That's his 20th goal for his nation! Surely that's game over now, as Wales lead 3-0.
48' PENALTY! The referee points to the spot, as Yudenkov clearly handles a ball into the box. Wales have a spot-kick!
47' Half-time substitute Johnson is already involved for Wales, but after a good turn on the left, his cross is cut out by Naumov.
B. Johnson
G. Bale
46' Ramsey assumes the captaincy, as Bale is withdrawn to protect his hamstring and Johnson comes on in his place.
46' We are back under way at Cardiff City Stadium!
A two-goal lead from three shots on target represents a clinical 45 minutes work for the home side, and if they go on to add a third, surely Page will withdraw both Bale and Ramsey to protect his dynamic duo ahead of Belgium's visit early next week.
Though Bale has been typically influential on the occasion of his 100th international appearance, 70-cap Ramsey broke the deadlock for Wales today amid a high-tempo start to proceedings. With the hosts flying forward and attempting quick combinations, Belarus have been pressed back and have enjoyed little respite. Indeed, the Dragons have had nearly two-thirds of the ball in the opening half, and will now want to retain such control after the interval - though goal difference could be a factor in their thinking, with their head-to-head against the Czechs so finely poised.
45' HALF-TIME: WALES 2-0 BELARUS
44' Some loose passing has cost Wales momentum during the past 10 minutes, but with the interval soon to come, they are keeping their visitors comfortably at bay.
42' James brings down Yudenkov out on the left wing, but Belarus ultimately waste possession and Wales regain the ball.
40' Finally, the pace has dropped and the Cardiff crowd has quietened. As Wales attempt to keep the ball in midfield, Belarus have crept a few yards further up the pitch and are inching gradually into the game.
38' Only desperate defending - with bodies thrown on the line - denies Ramsey and then Williams on the left side of the area. Some heroic blocking by Naumov; keeping his side at least theoretically in the game.
36' After Wilson concedes possession, Yablonski wildly thrashes an ambitious strike from 25 yards well over the crossbar. That was the very definition of 'hopeful' by the Belarus midfielder.
34' From close to the byline, Pechenin's long-throw attempt falls short of the target, and after a brief bobble around the fringe of the area only a Wales goal-kick results.
32' Davies concedes a free-kick for a foul on Klimovich out on the right wing, but Belarus can't force an opportunity from the set-piece.
30' Wilson and Bale combine with some intricate interplay, and the latter's delicate backheel demonstrates great confidence and composure. Though no chance accrues, Wales are enjoying themselves today!
28' From a cross flicked in by James, the late-arriving Roberts heads wide of the goal from around 10 yards out on the right side of the area.
26' With confidence coursing through their veins, James and Bale are driving Wales forward again and again. The hosts will want to capitalise on this dominance with another goal before the break!
N. Zolotov
Yellow Card
24' Having taken out Davies in a reckless aerial challenge, Zolotov gets the first yellow card of the match.
22' Already in trouble today, Belarus have lost their past 14 away World Cup qualifiers since winning in Kazakhstan in April 2009. Among European nations, only San Marino (25) are on a longer losing run in away World Cup qualifiers than the Belarussians.
G. Bale
Assist
20' Bale used all his experience to draw players out of position, then played the ball into Williams' path to score.
N. Williams
Goal
20' WALES GO TWO UP! As the Belarus back four find themselves drawn to Bale, the Real Madrid man flicks the ball into Williams in space on the left side of the area, and his shot towards the near post squirms past Chernik. That should have been kept out really, but Wales won't care! The hosts are now 2-0 ahead!
18' Zolotov's left-footed shot from outside the box sails too high and careers into the stands behind Ward's goal.
17' From a Lisakovich cross out on the left, Pechenin gets to the ball at the back post, but his headed effort is comfortably wide of Ward's goal.
15' The ball continues to zip around frantically, as Wales apply further pressure on the Belarus area. Surely the relentless backing of the Cardiff crowd is helping them sustain this pace.
13' From a Belarus corner, Naumov makes too much contact with the leaping Ward and concedes a free-kick. Wales' wide open approach is leaving the back door open at times for the visiting side.
11' JUST WIDE! Roberts cracks a shot narrowly wide of the right-hand post after the ball broke to him just inside the area, spurning a good opportunity to double the hosts' advantage.
10' Rodon covers well for an Ampadu error inside the Wales area, and the hosts escape a tricky situation.
9' Sedko goes careering into a second crude challenge on Amapadu already, and after a brief moment of concern the latter gets back to his feet.
8' Williams and James are blocked out desperately by the Belarus defence in quick succession, as Wales surge forward at will. It is one-way traffic at the moment!
6' Wales have only lost one of their past 17 home fixtures in qualifying for major tournaments - a defeat against the Republic of Ireland in October 2017. In fact, they have not conceded more than once in any of those 17 games, letting in just six in all.
4' Ampadu is penalised for lunging into a challenge with Zolotov, and is perhaps lucky to escape an early booking.
A. Ramsey
Goal
2' WALES LEAD! From the corner, the ball is recycled in the Belarus area, and Davies volleys a powerful strike into the ground, which Chernik can only palm into the path of Ramsey. The Juventus midfielder then steers home the game's opening goal. Wales 1-0 Belarus already!
2' A quick 20-yard snapshot by Allen is deflected wide for a corner, and Wales have started at a great tempo.
1' We are now under way in the Welsh capital!
The players have observed the national anthems at Cardiff City Stadium, and kick-off is just moments away!
Belarus suffered a disappointing 3-2 loss when they last met the Welsh back in September, as Bale netted a hat-trick in Kazan - with the winner coming deep into stoppage time. That loss was one of six in a row for the White Wings since beating fellow minnows Estonia in their opening game, and they have conceded 17 times and scored just twice in the process.
Captain and attacking talisman Gareth Bale has recovered from a hamstring injury in time to win his 100th Wales cap today, adding a touch of star quality to a squad previously depleted by absences for the internationals in September and October. Tottenham defender Ben Davies is also back in action, but Cardiff City centre-forward Kieffer Moore must serve a suspension for the home side. Meanwhile, Lokomotiv Moscow's Vitaly Lisakovich - involved in four of the visitors six goals in the qualifying campaign - starts up front for Belarus.
SUBS: Gleb Shevchenko, Artyom Sokol, Max Ebong, Ivan Bakhar, Andrey Solovey, Yahor Khatkevich, Roman Yuzepchuk, Pavel Pavlyuchenko, Artem Kontsevoy, Ruslan Lisakovich, Denis Levitskiy, Dmitri Antilevski.
BELARUS (4-4-2): Syarhey Chernik; Nikolay Zolotov, Maksim Shvetsov, Nikita Naumov, Ruslan Yudenkov; Kiryl Pechenin, Aleksandr Selyava, Yevgeny Yablonski; Vladislav Klimovich; Pavel Sedko, Vitaly Lisakovich.
SUBS: Wayne Hennessey, Chris Gunter, Chris Mepham, Tyler Roberts, Rubin Colwill, Joe Morrell, Sorba Thomas, Mark Harris, Will Vaulks, Rhys Norrington-Davies, Brennan Johnson, Jonny Williams.
WALES (4-4-2): Danny Ward; Connor Roberts, Joe Rodon, Ben Davies, Neco Williams; Ethan Ampadu, Joe Allen, Aaron Ramsey, Harry Wilson; Gareth Bale, Daniel James.
Already guaranteed a play-off place having won their Nations League group last year, Robert Page's Dragons must finish runners-up to established leaders Belgium if they are to secure a home draw in next spring's deciders. They may have enjoyed some memorable moments over the past few years, but are still waiting for a first World Cup qualification since 1958, meaning complacency is not an option.
Wales resume their Qatar 2022 qualifying campaign in the knowledge that they can move above the Czech Republic - who have the same number of points but have played a game more - into second place in Group E with a point from their penultimate fixture. Meanwhile, lowly Belarus - ranked just inside the world's top 100 - are looking to climb off the bottom of the table with an unlikely away win.
Hello and welcome to live coverage of Wales v Belarus in World Cup qualifying Group E, from Cardiff City Stadium!
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