Albion take flight as Hal hits the heights of Euro 2016 again
WEST Bromwich Albion’s flight to Southampton was grounded, so they had to travel to the game by coach. But there was nothing stopping the ball when it took off from Hal RobsonKanu’s boot and flew into the top-left corner for a crucial win away from home.
The Wales forward’s last strike came on that memorable Euro 2016 quarter-final night at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy when his ‘Cruyff turn’ confounded Belgium’s entire defence before he finished calmly passed Thibaut Courtois. It was the second goal to set Wales on the way to a remarkable 3-1 victory.
What the strike against Southampton lacked in finesse in comparison, it more than made up for in sheer, brute force. West Brom barely deserved their equaliser a few minutes before the break — Matt Phillips cancelling out Shane Long’s header — but Robson-Kanu, signed on a free transfer in August, put them ahead with only their second shot on target.
Phillips slipped a pass through Southampton’s defence, Robson-Kanu timed his run expertly, took one touch to knock the ball on and then let fly with his left boot from just outside the area. Fraser Forster got a hand to the ball but was almost carried back into the net, such was the ferocity of the shot. Before yesterday, Robson-Kanu had had to make do with 13 appearances from the bench — more than any Premier League player this season — and a total of only 96 minutes on the pitch. Four months to wait. Well worth it.
Manager Tony Pulis commended the 27-year-old for his patience. ‘I keep telling people — with these 25-man squads, it’s the people outside the 11 who determine the spirit and togetherness in the dressing room and he’s been absolutely fantastic,’ said Pulis.
‘His attitude around the club, willingness to join in even though he’s only been almost a bit-part player has been fantastic.’
Manchester City target Virgil van Dijk was shown a second yellow card for pulling down substitute Salomon Rondon — West Brom’s top scorer — with just two minutes remaining.