Wales suffer Popov blow

Wales' Euro 2012 qualification hopes suffered a crushing blow at Cardiff City Stadium after Ivelin Popov's second half strike gave Bulgaria a 1-0 victory.

Wales, under the control of caretaker manager Brian Flynn, created several chances and should have taken an early lead, but full-back Chris Gunter shot wide from inside Bulgaria's box.

And they were punished just three minutes into the second period when an unmarked Popov pounced to leave Wales floundering in Pool G, with Gunter sent off in injury-time for a bad foul on Dimitar Rangelov.

The result will not help Flynn's chances of landing the job on a permanent basis, with a theoretically trickier task ahead in Switzerland next Tuesday.

After two defeats from two games in a group that also includes England, Wales' chances of finishing even second look slender. Yet for much of the first half Wales, in their first match since the departure of John Toshack as manager, had looked sharp and enterprising.

Playing the attacking football which Flynn had called for, they carved out clear-cut chances that should have been taken.

A brilliant opportunity came on the stroke of half-time as Danny Collins, recalled by Flynn for his first cap in three years, picked out Edwards with a brilliant cross but Nikolay Mihaylov saved the Wolves man's goalbound header.

Popov fired Bulgaria into the lead when he collected the ball from Nikolay Bodurov in the box and beat Hennessey with aid of the woodwork. It almost got worse for Wales as Stiliyan Petrov tested Hennessey from 40 yards with a fierce shot and Martin Petrov then broke clear only to miss the target.

Flynn was facing a stern examination but Morison almost hauled his side level when he skipped a challenge on the edge of the box and forced Mihaylov to push away a strong drive.

Wales were reduced to 10 men in injury time when last man Gunter checked substitute Rangelov as he looked to break from inside the centre circle, ruling him out of Tuesday's Swiss clash.