It will be the first time since the World Cup in 1958 that Wales have appeared in the finals of a major tournament.
That Cyprus pulled off a shock win in the Israeli capital, courtesy of Walsall defender Jason Demetriou, meant the 18 points collected already by Chris Coleman’s team will prove sufficient to ending the long wait.
They are heading to Euro 2016. Confirmed. The result here in Zenica was not of significance in the end. Wales had enough in the bank already.
‘We are like brothers on the pitch and this is what happens when you feel like that,’ said Bale. ‘This is a dream come true for me, but it doesn’t stop here. We have got to go to France and try to do some business.’
Speed is one of the illustrious names of Welsh football to never reach a major tournament. Among a lengthy list are Ryan Giggs, Neville Southall, Mark Hughes, Craig Bellamy.
But this 2015 vintage will not be filed into the same drawer as those agonising near misses. Not alongside Russia 2003: Vadim Evseev’s solitary strike. Nor Romania 1993: Paul Bodin’s penalty against the crossbar. Not Scotland 1985: Davie Cooper’s controversial spot-kick overshadowed by the death of Jock Stein. Nor Scotland 1977: Joe Jordan’s handball.
No. Over the course of qualifying Coleman’s Wales displayed the minerals.
This ground only holds 15,600 but the hosts’ fervour – non-stop bouncing, endless chanting – ensured intimidation
This was a journey to test the Welsh resolve, both geographically and mentally. The Balkans has been the scene of Coleman’s darkest moments: the 6-1 humiliation in Serbia that prompted him to consider his position; the 2-1 defeat to Montenegro a year later in September 2013.
Showing mettle in Bosnia would go some way to validating the narrative of redemption, aiding theory an eighth-place world ranking is not absurd.
The few hundred Welsh souls who had made the trip were only allowed in 15 minutes before the start for security reasons. Ticketing arrangements meant they were required to be individuals who had followed Wales long and far, experiencing the lows in hope of an exhilarating high like this evening promised.
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So there is such a thing as joyous defeat. Wales lost to Bosnia but it transpired the most meaningful action was taking place some 1,800 miles way in Jerusalem.
That Cyprus pulled off a shock win in the Israeli capital, courtesy of Walsall defender Jason Demetriou, meant the 18 points collected already by Chris Coleman’s team will prove sufficient to ending the long wait.
Man was more than a decade away from walking on the moon the last time Wales qualified for a major tournament finals and while this performance could not be classed as stellar, for these players the feeling at its climax was rocket-fuelled.
They are heading to Euro 2016. Confirmed. The result here in Zenica was not of significance in the end. Wales had enough in the bank already.
Gareth Bale put it succinctly. ‘This has got to be the best loss of my life!’ beamed the Real Madrid star. ‘It was a difficult game but the only thing that matters is we have gone through.’
Everyone in this ground was happy. Bosnia are chasing the play-off place and Israel’s choke in the Holy City has put them in pole position for third in Group B.
Late goals from Milan Djuric and Vedad Ibisevic inflicted defeat on Wales but that could not deny the raucous celebrations enjoyed by Bale and his teammates when the final whistle went.
This crop have succeeded where many before failed, and en masse they shared in abandon their joy with the 750 Welsh fans able to make this game. Scarves waved, fists pumped, smiles spread.
‘We are like brothers on the pitch and this is what happens when you feel like that,’ said Bale. ‘This is a dream come true for me, but it doesn’t stop here. We have got to go to France and try to do some business.’
Coleman admitted full-time did not bring instant realisation. ‘Obviously when I was walking off I saw our supporters singing and then our secretary, Mark Evans, whispered in my ear that Israel had lost, so it was game on after that, all smiles.’
Commendably, Coleman used the moment to pay tribute to predecessor Gary Speed. ‘Gary has been with us all the way and I am sure he is smiling down on us,’ he said.
Speed is one of the illustrious names of Welsh football to never reach a major tournament. Among a lengthy list are Ryan Giggs, Neville Southall, Mark Hughes, Craig Bellamy. 
No. Over the course of qualifying Coleman’s Wales displayed the minerals.
After the night's result, Euro 2016 will be the first major competition since the 1986 World Cup to feature three of the nations of the UK - in that year England, Scotland and Northern Ireland all qualified for the finals in Mexico.
The fraught nature of this tie was shown some two hours before kick-off. Undeterred by billowing rain, groups of supporters outside Stadion Bilino Polje lit red flares to cast an eerie light into the night sky. Inside, a pitch walkabout by Wales players drew deafening whistles from a significant number of Bosnians already in their seats.
This ground only holds 15,600 but the hosts’ fervour – non-stop bouncing, endless chanting – ensured intimidation
This was a journey to test the Welsh resolve, both geographically and mentally. The Balkans has been the scene of Coleman’s darkest moments: the 6-1 humiliation in Serbia that prompted him to consider his position; the 2-1 defeat to Montenegro a year later in September 2013.
Showing mettle in Bosnia would go some way to validating the narrative of redemption, aiding theory an eighth-place world ranking is not absurd.
Aside from that, this game took place in Zenica, an hour-long drive from Sarajevo, along winding roads through mountainous landscape.
Having landed in the Bosnian capital, the Welsh squad needed to travel through the city that still bears the scars of the four-year siege during the Yugoslav Wars. They were driven past the bullet holes that blot ruined buildings like macabre acne; past the thousands of white stones on the hillside that mark graves of some 13,952 who perished.
The few hundred Welsh souls who had made the trip were only allowed in 15 minutes before the start for security reasons. Ticketing arrangements meant they were required to be individuals who had followed Wales long and far, experiencing the lows in hope of an exhilarating high like this evening promised. 
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