Ninety minutes, or maybe 120, or even a hypothetical penalty shootout, in the Path A final of the play-offs is what separates Wales from the second World Cup in their history , after that of 1958 in Sweden.
It will be against Scotland or Ukraine, whose semi-final has been postponed to June due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
And this historic match, the Welsh will play it again in the Cardiff City Stadium which sang so loudly to carry them against Austria, especially in the last 20 nervous minutes, after the reduction of the score by the visitors which almost ruined everything .
Because the evening had been almost ideal until then, despite a huge scare from the 5th minute, when Christoph Baumgartner had found the bar, well helped by a decisive tackle from Neco Willams, while Wayne Hennessey was beaten.
A toll warning that was quickly forgotten after the two pieces of bravery by local hero Bale in the club cellar at Real Madrid, but on which the national jersey seems to have makeover virtues, causing him to find lightning of genius from its beginnings.
On a free kick slightly off-center on the right of the opposing goal, he fired a shot into the skylight which literally brought Austrian goalkeeper Heinz Lindner to his knees (1-0, 25th).
At the start of the second period, he grabbed a ball after a corner and his powerful shot from the left and in pivot went to find the opposite side netting (2-0, 51st).
A stupidly conceded goal, Ben Davies deflecting a shot from Marcel Sabitzer out of reach of Hennessey who seemed well placed almost shattered the Welsh dream (2-1, 65th).
Gareth Bale scored twice for Wales against Austria in Cardiff, March 24, 2022 Geoff Caddick AFP
The missed opportunities by Aaron Ramsey (40th) or Dan James (66th, 71st) would have long haunted people's minds in the event of an unfortunate epilogue.
But to the sound of the "Old country of my ancestors" taken up by the hearts of the 33,000 spectators, the Welsh have conceded nothing to their hosts and they will hope to end 64 years of too long a wait in June.
© 2022 AFP