Ukraine’s national soccer team crumpled to the pitch on Sunday as the final whistle sounded, cementing their 1-0 loss to Wales and destroying a besieged nation’s hopes of sending its players to Qatar to compete in this year’s FIFA World Cup. The rainy match at Cardiff City Stadium had previously been called “the most important game of our lives” by Ukrainian defender Oleksandr Karavayev, but it was all but over by the 34-minute mark, when a free kick from Wales captain Gareth Bales was headed by Ukraine forward Andriy Yarmalenko, who accidentally sent it rocketing into the back of his own net. Wales’ goalkeeper, Wayne Hennessey, ensured that Ukraine didn’t get a chance to even the score. A sea of red-wearing Wales fans, numbering roughly 30,000, turned out to support the team, which has not qualified for a World Cup since 1958. A pocket of around 1,000 Ukraine fans seemed comparatively dwarfed, though Bales led the Welsh players over to applaud them after the match. “We just wanted to give them our support,” said Bales, who also embraced Ukraine coach Oleksandr Petrkov. The Ukrainian team had previously performed outstandingly in the playoffs, trouncing Scotland 3-1 earlier this week in a showing that President Volodymyr Zelensky called “two hours of happiness,” according to CNN.