BALE MAKES HISTORY
Star beats Rush goal record as Giggs era kicks off in China
GARETH Bale believes breaking Ian Rush’s Wales goal-scoring record might well be his biggest achievement in football.
Bale eclipsed Rush’s 28-goal mark for his country with a hat-trick in the 6-0 China Cup win over the tournament hosts in Nanning.
It was the first hat-trick by a Wales player for 14 years – Robert Earnshaw scoring the last against Scotland in 2004 – and the perfect way to start Ryan Giggs’ managerial reign.
“Obviously you don’t really have time to think of your achievements when you are drained,” said Bale, a threetime Champions League winner with Real Madrid.
“But, yes, it is right up there, if it is not the best achievement I have done.
“Anything you do for your country is the pinnacle, it is the biggest honour you can have. On a personal note, it’s obviously great to break the record and it’s thanks to the team, everyone who I’ve played with and all the managers.”
On Wales’ winning start under Giggs, Bale added: “The most important thing for me and for us was to get off to a good start under the new manager and I thought we played very well.
“We did exactly what he (Giggs) asked.”
As for the new boss himself, Giggs was naturally delighted with an emphatic winning start to his reign and made ensuring his squad has greater strength in depth his top priority.
“We want to get that strength in depth,” Giggs said.
“Sometimes that has been an Achilles heel, if we have two or three players out then we struggle.
“We want a competitive squad. If someone is missing through injury or suspension then we have someone to come in.
“There were some really good performances, Declan John was outstanding and it was a great night for a lot of individuals. That’s what we want, players looking over their shoulder.
“I was brought up in an environment where training was sometimes more difficult than the games and that is the kind of atmosphere that I want to generate.”
Giggs also reserved special praise for both the new landmark set by Bale and another achieved by Chris Gunter.
“It is a tremendous achievement for Gareth, to be the top goalscorer in front of someone like Ian Rush – a legendary goalscorer – and it was great to see Chris Gunter become the most-capped outfield player,” Giggs added.
Bale still has some way to go before he catches Wales’ greatest women’s goalscorer. Helen Ward has a remarkable 42 goals to her name from 70 Wales appearances to date.
THEY say start as you mean to go on.
And if Wales’ dream beginning against China is anything to go by, then Ryan Giggs’ tenure as manager could well be a very successful one indeed.
Given that 45 places separate the two sides in the FIFA rankings, those from the outside expected nothing but a routine win for the Dragons of the Welsh variety.
Giggs was certainly more cautious when discussing the hosts ahead of the match, describing them as “aggressive” and as a side “that can play”.
But as early as the second minute, there only ever looked like being one winner.
Even before Wales’ China Cup campaign had got underway, Gareth Bale showed his complete commitment to the cause by completing a marathon journey to Nanning in time for his side’s first training session two days before the tournament started, having played for Real Madrid two days earlier.
And it took less than two minutes for Bale to light up the Guangxi Sports Center with a trademark solo effort to get Giggs’ reign off to a dream start.
From then on in, you can’t help but feel that Giggs won’t have any easier nights as an international boss.
To their credit, after creating an impressive atmosphere in the stands, China did threaten to come to the party on the pitch as the lively Wu Lei fired over from close range shortly after Wales took the lead.
But that was to be about as good as it got for the home side as Wales well and truly stamped their authority on proceedings.
Bale almost rounded goalkeeper Yan Junling to double his side’s advantage in the 20th minute after being sent through on goal with a sumptuous long ball from Harry Wilson. And while he couldn’t quite apply the finish, Bale didn’t have long to wait to make it 2-0 as he coolly slotted home to become Wales’ joint-record goalscorer.
Kitted out in his tracksuit, Giggs will have been delighted with the professionalism his side showed on the park, and it wasn’t long before he saw his side go three goals ahead as Sam Vokes stretched to reach Andy King’s knock-down to prod home after some good work by Chris Gunter, who enjoyed the accolade of becoming Wales’ most-capped outfield player in Nanning.
One of many achievements on a stunning night.
Having seen the Euro 2016 heroes get on the scoresheet, it was time for one of the young guns to get in on the act.
Liverpool youngster Harry Wilson – currently on loan with Championship side Hull City – had buzzed around the park for the majority of the opening 45 minutes and he got his just rewards on the stroke of halftime.
Wilson cut inside from the left before curling into the back of the net to register his first international goal on his 21st birthday. And that certainly seemed to be that, even with another 45 minutes left on the clock.
Giggs may well have been tempted to ring the changes at the break, but he persisted with the same 11 that performed so admirably in the opening half.
And his faith was rewarded as the impressive Wilson’s inch-perfect through ball found Vokes, who struck across Yan Junling and into the back of the net to register his 10th goal for Wales.
It was proving to be a momentous night for the visitors, but it was to get even more special just after the hour mark as Bale lashed home from the left to register his first hat-trick for Wales – and to become his country’s all-time men’s record goalscorer , surpassing Ian Rush’s previous record of 28 goals for the national side.
And with that, it was time for the big guns to get their rest while there proved to be another special moment as Brentford man Chris Mepham was handed his international debut, the first man to get that honour under Giggs.
There was to be only one late scare for Wales as Yu Hanchao looked destined to bag a consolation for the hosts with a curling effort in the dying moments. Wayne Hennessey had other ideas, however, and tipped the effort onto the post to preserve his clean sheet and cap off a memorable night.
Giggs will probably never have an easier match during his time in charge of Wales.
Ultimately, it was a comfortable and ruthless display from his side that offers so much hope for the future.
Bigger tests will come. But as far as the first test goes, Giggs passed with flying colours. And then some.