Gareth Bale, so often Wales’ talisman, again produced the decisive moment with his 34th-minute free-kick headed into his own net by Andriy Yarmolenko.

But Wales goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey took the man-of-the-match honors with an outstanding display that kept the gifted Ukrainians at bay.

Coach Rob Page saluted his players and the fans after seeing them clinch a place at the World Cup finals for the first time since 1958.

“It’s unbelievable. I’m so proud of these boys,” he said. “They thoroughly deserved that. The one thing they needed was a World Cup and they’ve got it.

“The fans were incredible. They’re the best supporters in world football, I’m telling you. They helped us from the first minute and deserve all the credit.”

More than six decades after reaching their one and only World Cup in Sweden in 1958, Wales are back at football’s global table.

Page will ready his team to face rivals England, USA, and Iran in a wide-open group in Qatar, while Ukraine faltered in a World Cup play-off for the fifth time.