Wales claimed a historic victory over Slovakia earlier today, getting their Euro 2016 campaign off to a splendid start at Stade Matmut Atlantique.
Chris Coleman made four changes from the side that lost 3-0 to Sweden last time out, with the likes of Gareth Bale and Joe Allen being restored to their line-up. Danny Ward also came in for Wayne Hennessey, in between their goalkeeping sticks.
But that said, Slovakia looked far more dangerous in the first few minutes of the game, until Real Madrid star Gareth Bale fired an outrageous free-kick into the back of the net to put Wales 1-0 ahead on the 10th minute mark.
But Slovakia’s Duda restored parity merely moments after coming on as a substitute on the 60th minute. Mak did brilliantly on the flanks, before providing a cross for Duda, who made no mistakes by slotting home to make it 1-1 on the night.
Unfortunately for the Slovaks, Hal Robson-Kanu popped up with a timely goal on the 85th minute, which ultimately proved to be the winner for Chris Coleman’s side. In what was a highly entertaining game, here are three players that stood out on the park.
Gareth Bale
No surprises here, really. He was always expected to spearhead Wales’ attack and he did it with plenty of conviction today. Bale was a constant threat going forward and could have scored a couple of goals, alongside his fantastic free-kick strike, which broke the deadlock. And judging by his reaction at the end of the game, you know he’s determined to help Wales create history in this tournament.
Ashley Williams
In game that was relatively end-to-end, it’s easy to trivialize the impact made by defenders. But Ashley Williams was a complete beast for Wales tonight. His leadership ensured stability within Wales’ back-three and even when Slovakia periodically got into their strides during the game, Williams was always present to keep Marek Hamsik and Co at bay. Big, big player for Chris Coleman.
Marek Hamsik
Defeats are never easy to swallow, let alone defeats in major tournaments. But the Slovaks have plenty of reasons to keep their chins up ahead of the second game. If anything, Marek Hamsik showcased his sheer brilliance and ability to create something out of nothing. If not for Ben Davies’ heroic clearance, Hamsik could have scored a ridiculous solo goal during the match. Fantastic player.
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