A victory over Belgium could have allowed Wales to enter next month’s final matches as leaders of Group J.
Instead, after a second defeat of the campaign, Wales sit in third place with 10 points, four points behind Belgium with two games left.
North Macedonia also had hopes of an unlikely bid for top spot after defeating Belgium in Ghent on Friday.
But they were frustrated at home by drawing 1-1 with Kazakhstan on Monday, leaving them second on 13 points having played one more game. Their last game will be in Cardiff against Wales on November 18.
This means that Belgium, who face fourth-placed Kazakhstan in Astana on November 15 and then tiny Liechtenstein at home in Liege on November 18, need just one win to guarantee first place. Even if they made a mistake in Kazakhstan, it is almost inconceivable that they would not defeat a Liechtenstein team that has lost its last 20 qualifying matches.
And in the unlikely event that Belgium tied both games, Wales would still have to win both games and do so with a goal difference of 12.
Fanciful things.