KANU BELIEVE IN FAIRY-TALES
Supersub Hal and Bale the superstar clinch an historic win for Wales
ONE goal came from the most expensive left foot in world football, the other from the shin of a player who currently doesn’t even have a club. Between them, however, Gareth Bale and Hal Robson-Kanu have already taken Wales to within smelling distance of the second phase of Euro 2016.
The Welsh had waited 58 years to be back on a stage like this and what a way to mark their return.
This victory, this uplifting and wonderful late afternoon in southwest France, will not only be talked about for years by the 20,000 Welsh supporters who were here but could yet provide a platform for real achievement in this competition.
Beforehand, the Wales manager Chris Coleman had delivered his players a stirring message. Enjoy yourselves but play with belief, energy and purpose, he told them.
Ultimately, that was exactly what they did during a game that saw them start brilliantly, creak and groan a little in the middle before rallying to deliver the killer blow right at the death. As a tournament formula, it is the kind that can take a team a long way.
Not surprisingly, it was Bale — described by his manager last week as his ‘splash of brilliance’ — who gave Coleman’s team the perfect start.
The Real Madrid star’s first major contribution of the game was to give the ball away to Slovakia’s Marek Hamsik in the third minute. The Napoli player would have scored had it not been for Ben Davies’ terrific goalline clearance.
His next, though, was to drive a 10th-minute free-kick in to the net from 25 yards. Wales were up and running and, ultimately, were not to be denied.
It did get edgy in the second half as Slovakia finally found themselves. Ondrej Duda equalised before the hour and, briefly, the Eastern European side were the better team.
But Coleman’s Wales players have a rare resolve about them and with less than 10 minutes to go they surged forward for the relatively unknown Robson-Kanu — out of contract at Reading — to swing his left leg at Aaron Ramsey’s pass and ensure that Wales are not merely here to enjoy the singing.
Bale was euphoric afterwards. The Madrid star, whose career has been punctuated with world-class goals, said: ‘It’s right up there. It’s just a memorable moment, a historic moment for our country. And we got the three points.
‘And Hal to get the winner is amazing. It’s a squad game and everyone has their part to play.
‘Now it’s on to England. We have done the first part — two more to go and we will keep fighting.’
Certainly, the Welsh anthem had been enough to stir the soul. The Wales fans sang with a fervour that was enough to make you believe that anything is possible for them out here. From that point on, their team took over.
There had been bad news before the kick-off. Regular goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey had felt a twinge in his back at the team hotel and Coleman was forced to hand a first start to Danny Ward.
It was a serious blow to the Welsh but the attitude of the players in red was perfect and they were the better team overall.
Certainly, the Hamsik moment was a big one. Bale actually lost the ball twice in the build-up and only the anticipation and determination of Davies saved Wales from a blow from which they may not have recovered. As it was, Wales took strength from survival and were in the lead seven minutes later. David Edwards was fouled by Patrik Hrosovsky and that set Bale up from ideal range.
In truth, the left-foot shot was not particularly devastating and, had goalkeeper Matus Kozacik stayed exactly where he was, he would have fielded the ball comfortably. As it was, Kozacik took three inexplicable paces to his left as Bale prepared to shoot and was left with his weight on the wrong foot as the ball dipped past him on the other side.
Welsh celebrations were appropriate, Bale leading his team-mates over to the technical area for a group hug with those players not selected. Together Stronger is the Wales team motto and here was the evidence that perhaps it is not merely a slogan.
Slovakia are not without talent but were slow into the game. Hamsik lacked positional discipline while Martin Skrtel was lucky to see an arm in to the face of Jonny Williams go unnoticed in the penalty area. The Liverpool defender, on the whole, had a poor game.
Wales, meanwhile, enjoyed other good moments and Coleman’s team deserved to be ahead at the break.
The second half was certainly different as, although Bale brought a save from Kozacik with a downward header in the 57th minute, Robert Mak had already driven a shot over at the other end by the time Slovakia pushed forward to equalise. Mak was the driving force, running beyond Ramsey and Edwards to reach the area and when he slipped the ball inside to Duda, the substitute pulled a shot back across his body and into Ward’s left hand corner.
In an instant, the whole feel of the game changed. Slovakia began to play with confidence and at tempo, and Ward was forced to save from Juraj Kucka before Mak worried him with a shot from 25 yards.
Credit to Wales, though, as they survived to prosper and Coleman’s use of substitutes was perfect.
Ramsey should have scored when replacement Robson-Kanu dropped a cross on his head but he couldn’t keep the ball down. However, the Arsenal player applied a faint touch as another substitute, Joe Ledley, supplied him with nine minutes left and Robson-Kanu got just enough on the ball to send Wales in to Thursday’s meeting with England — who drew 1-1 against Russia — in the best possible shape.