Wales sensationally stormed back from three goals down to level with Belgium in Brussels, only for Kevin de Bruyne’s late winner to inflict an absurdly dramatic first 4-3 defeat on Craig Bellamy and knock his team off the top of their World Cup qualifying group.

The freewheeling home side were 3-0 up after just 27 minutes, Romelu Lukaku putting them in front from the penalty spot before Youri Tielemans stylishly finished off an incisive team move.

When Jeremy Doku feigned, jinked and fired into the bottom corner for the Belgians’ third, Wales were staring into the abyss of a first loss since a 4-0 thrashing by Slovakia exactly one year earlier had cost previous manager Rob Page his job.

But Wales are a different team under Bellamy, and they responded brilliantly to a bleak situation as Harry Wilson’s penalty moments before half-time gave them a glimmer of hope.

They truly started to believe an improbable comeback was on when Wilson’s excellent cross set up Sorba Thomas to fire in his first Wales goal, and then Brennan Johnson headed in an equaliser to spark spectacular celebrations in a raucous away end.