WALES welcome the Czech Republic to Cardiff for their second 2022 World Cup qualifier on Tuesday.

Robert Page's side already have ground to make up after losing their opener in Belgium and the Czechs taking four points from two games.

Gareth Bale was Wales' talisman on their Euro 2016 adventure.

Bale scored seven goals in qualifying as Wales ended a 58-year wait to play at a major tournament before he joined a select band of players to register in every European Championship group game.

However, it is nearly 18 months since Wales' record scorer netted his last international goal, his 33rd, in a 1-1 draw against Croatia.

Including his 10-minute cameo in Saturday's 1-0 friendly victory over Mexico, Bale has now gone eight games without scoring.

Kieffer Moore's emergence in the last 18 months has lifted the scoring burden off Bale to an extent.

The 6ft 5in Cardiff centre-forward has adapted superbly to international football and his weekend winner against Mexico was his fifth goal in 14 Wales appearances.

However, he has not started any of Wales' last four competitive games, with caretaker boss Page branding the main striker's role as a "horses for courses" policy.

Moore has been used from the bench in recent competitive outings, but it would be a big call to keep him there against the physical Czechs.

The presence of West Ham's Tomas Soucek in the Czech Republic midfield spells big danger for Wales.

Soucek has nine goals in the Premier League this season and taken that scoring form on to the international stage.

The 26-year-old captained his country for the first time against Estonia last week and promptly bagged a hat-trick in a 6-2 World Cup qualifying victory.

Wales will be aware of Soucek's huge aerial threat and that could be another factor in Moore, who is effective in both boxes, getting the nod to start.

Wayne Hennessey has been Wales' undisputed number one goalkeeper for more than a decade.

The Crystal Palace custodian is the Dragons' second most capped player of all time and made his 95th appearance against Mexico.

Hennessey sat out the Belgium defeat after limited game-time for Palace's Under-23s following four months out with a thigh injury.

Back-up Leicester goalkeeper Danny Ward has started the last three competitive games and done little wrong, but Hennessey impressed on Saturday and might have done enough to reclaim the jersey.

The early Group E table does not make pretty reading for Wales fans.

Opening wins for Belgium and the Czech Republic saw them hit the front and the pair shared a 1-1 draw in Prague on Saturday as Wales stepped away from World Cup qualifying action.

Lose to the Czechs and a seven-point gap would appear insurmountable for Wales, even at this early stage and with a game in hand.

Belgium, the world's top-ranked team, remain favourites to take top spot, but a Wales win against the Czechs would open up a group which also contains Belarus and Estonia.