BALE NEVER FAILS
Skipper keeps his game face on for last hurrah
HE is known as the joker in the Wales camp but there was no fooling around from Gareth Bale in the nation’s first World Cup game since 1958.
A camera followed Bale pre-match into the dressing room, out on to the pitch for the warm up and in the tunnel before their match with USA on Monday night.
Throughout, Bale was all business as he walked around the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium with a poker face. Wales at their first World Cup for the 64 years might be a jolly for some but for ambitious, patriotic skipper Bale it is no laughing matter.
No one has done more than Bale to get Wales to Qatar – and no one seems more determined than him to ensure they make the most of the historic opportunity.
So, with Rob Page’s men on the ropes at 1-0 down against USA at half-time, Harry Wilson revealed how they needed their talisman to “drag Wales through”.
Wales’ captain and record-scorer Bale delivered for his country again after the break with his 41st international goal to secure a 1-1 draw, winning and then converting a late penalty. At 33, Bale is in the twilight of his career after moving to America. But in international football it is a different story and Bale, who has 109 caps, appears clearly fired up to add another glorious chapter.
Fulham flyer Wilson (inset) said: “He deserves to be on this stage for what he has done at club level and also what he has done for our country as well. He drags us through tough games.
“He deserves to play at the World Cup on the world stage.”
Bale won the spot-kick when he was brought down by Walker Zimmerman before slamming a left-foot effort into the corner eight minutes from time.
US goakeeper Matt Turner got a hand to it but team-mates were confident Bale would bury it.
Wales shot-stopper Wayne Hennessey said: “Gareth has been superb for us. He steps up on the big occasions. It was a fantastic penalty.”
Bale will lead Wales into their next match with Iran on Friday with Wilson expecting a reaction after Carlos Queiroz’s side were battered 6-2 by England.
Wilson added: “That was always going to be difficult for them. They will be looking for a reaction.”