HAIL BALE, THE PRINCE OF WALES
GARETH BALE’s brilliant bullet header against Cyprus fired Wales to the brink of a place at Euro 2016 and their first major tournament in 58 years. Chris Coleman’s side know a victory against Israel in Cardiff on Sunday will seal their spot at next summer’s tournament in France. The Real Madrid forward’s 81st-minute goal, his sixth in this campaign, sealed the win in Nicosia after a Dave Edwards effort was disallowed before the break.
Wales now know their task. Beat Israel in Cardiff on sunday and start booking the tickets to France. It is simple. It is also, undoubtedly, a little scary.
The prospect of qualifying for a first major tournament since 1958 seemed to reveal itself in a tentative performance in Nicosia. Wales’s passing repeatedly went awry and Cyprus, ranked 77 places below Chris Coleman’s side, showed enough mettle to deserve a point.
Then, nine minutes from time, Gareth Bale showed up. He flew through the air to plant his forehead on to a right-wing cross from Jazz Richards with force and fury. It shot into the net.
seconds later he had sprinted into a huddle with a throng of Wales players and staff, the significance clear. Wales have one foot at euro 2016. History beckons.
Bale had actually been having a sub-par game, one of a few guilty of surrendering possession too frequently. But once again he produced when it mattered. He has now scored six of the nine Welsh goals in this campaign and assisted two more. For all the evident unity of this team, without Bale’s decisive touches Wales would not be on the verge of ending the years of hurt.
as it is, they remain on course to beat Belgium, victors over Bosnia last night, to top spot in Group B. even without the aid of Michel Platini’s expanded format, qualification would be looking good.
Much of that is down to Wales’s outstanding defensive record. even as things got tough here they remained solid — marshalled by the excellent ashley Williams — to extend to 414 minutes their run without conceding. The two goals against in this campaign have been set-pieces.
Bale said: ‘It was more than tough out there, the humidity was incredible. We kept it tight and luckily grabbed a goal. We know what we have to do.’
Coleman had been preparing for this match since the glorious victory over Belgium in June, which catapulted Wales up the FIFa rankings to ninth and into top pot for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
By quirk of the calculations that win also sent Coleman’s side above england yesterday after historic results were discounted. a match between the two nations before next year would certainly appeal.
But as ever in international management, plans best laid for months can be disrupted in a flash. already missing Joe allen, Joe ledley was ruled out in the hours before kickoff through a hamstring injury.
In came Dave edwards, the Wolves player, starting his first international since the 6-1 humbling by serbia in september 2012.
James Chester missed out through his own hamstring problems and Coleman kept faith with Richards, who performed admirably against eden Hazard in the last match. Richards was again fantastic.
Curiously, the Cypriots seemed a little underwhelmed by this fixture with the GPs stadium only twothirds full. according to locals there was not much belief their team would do anything other than lose.
It seemed such fears would be realised quickly as Wales created two clear openings. In the sixth minute aaron Ramsey’s curling shot from the edge of the box skimmed the roof of the net.
Wales should have led four minutes later. Ramsey won a free-kick 35 yards out, the cusp of Bale’s shooting range. Goalkeeper antonis Giorgallides placed four men in the wall but Bale struck a shot that dipped late. Giorgallides just closed his legs in time to save.
The ball bounced to Neil Taylor, who, with two Welsh shirts in the middle, hit the rebound straight at the Cyprus No 1 and the hosts survived.
Cyprus grew into the half with some neat play and Wales needed captain Williams to show his leadership with two important blocks.
In the 27th minute Wales had the ball in the net. But referee szymon Marciniak called it wrong. Bale whipped an inswinging cross that edwards rose to head home. But Marciniak blew up. He saw centre back Kostas laifis on the floor and ruled Hal Robson-Kanu was guilty of a push. In truth the Reading forward jumped fairly.
a minute after the restart Cyprus finally tested Wayne Hennessey. Marios Nikolaou took a punt from 30 yards and Hennessey blocked with his knees. Georgios economides then hit a shot over as Wales struggled to retain possession.
late on Ramsey brought a fine save from Giorgallides when meeting Taylor’s pull-back flush and then Bale made his mark.
It still required a good save by Hennessey from Nikolaou’s shot and some further rearguard action. But Wales won, just as they needed to. They are so very nearly there.