The spirit of Johan Cruyff lives on. Of all the players that would embody it at this European Championship, however, few were expecting Hal Robson-Kanu.
The Wales striker doesn’t even have a club right now. Released by Reading, no takers so far. There will be after this. The greatest goal in Welsh history – in both senses of the word? Probably. Robson-Kanu put Wales into the semi-final of their first tournament since 1958, so no goal has been more significant.
And the quality – well it’s up there, too, a Cruyff turn in the penalty area of such perfect execution that Thomas Meunier needed his passport to get back in the country. It is a short trip to the Belgium border and Meunier and several team-mates were well on the way before they realised Robson-Kanu had changed direction.
Radja Nainggolan smashes the ball goalwards from distance, a blistering strike that flew into the top corner to give Belgium the lead
Wales goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey opted to go for the ball two-handed, and although he got fingertips to the ball he could not stop it
Wales captain Ashley Williams rises, almost unmarked, seven yards out to meet Aaron Ramsey's corner and head in the equaliser
Kevin De Bruyne tries to clear the ball off the line, but having come off his post the Manchester City midfielder could not prevent the goal
Williams shows his delight after the equaliser that Wales had thoroughly deserved, and he sets off in celebration with Bale behind him
Robson-Kanu, without a club after being released by Reading at the end of this season, celebrates his quite brilliant goal to make it 2-1
Sam Vokes rises above Toby Alderweireld to sublimely head Chris Gunter's cross over Courtois to wrap up the win for Wales
MATCH FACTS
Wales (3-4-2-1): Hennessey 7.5; Chester 7.5, A Williams 8.5, Davies 7.5; Gunter 8, Allen 8, Ledley 8 (King 78 mins), Taylor 8; Bale 8 Ramsey 9 (Collins 90); Robson-Kanu (Vokes 80) 8
Subs not used: Fon Williams, George Williams, Edwards, Richards, Cotterill, Jonathan Williams, Vaughan, Church, Ward
Manager: Chris Coleman 9
Booked: Davies, Chester, Gunter, Ramsey
Goals: Williams 30, Robson-Kanu 55, Vokes 85
Belgium (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Meunier 7.5, Alderweireld 6, Denayer 5, J Lukaku 5.5 (Mertens 76); Nainggolan 7, Witsel 6; Carrasco 6 (Fellaini 46 5), De Bruyne 6, Hazard 6.5; R Lukaku 6
Manager: Marc Wilmots 5
Subs not used: Mignolet, Origi,Kabasele, Dembele, Benteke, Ciman, Gillet
Booked: Fellaini, Alderweireld
Goal: Nainggolan 13
Referee: Damir Skomina (Slovenia) 7
Ratings by Laurie Whitwell
Belgium were on top of the time, and had probably grown complacent. Aaron Ramsey was allowed to carry the ball upfield untroubled, find Robson-Kanu in a tight space. First he battled to keep Meunier off, then he twisted and pulled the ball inside as the Dutch master would.
And in one leap, he was free. Alone. Only Thibaut Courtois to beat. Don’t let anyone tell you that, by then, Robson-Kanu had done the hard part. It would have been so easy to miss from there. So easy to panic and rush the shot, or hit it straight at Courtois.
Robson-Kanu placed it, beautifully, and with the same effect as Iceland’s second goal in Nice. Belgium, from there, looked done. Scared. Jittery.
They knew this was their match – their tournament maybe – to win. This is their golden generation.
It’s funny how nobody ever says that of Wales. Maybe that is the secret. Maybe that is what is pushing this team to greater and greater heights.
Certainly, the denouement was unimagined. A Belgium fightback? A Welsh Alamo? Hardly. With four minutes to go, Chris Gunter crossed from the right and Sam Vokes met his head in a way a succession of Belgian giants – Romelu Lukaku, Marouane Felaini – could not.
Courtois was beaten and so were the tournament’s dark horses. Beaten by the darkest horses of all. The one man team that is, in reality, about anything but one man.
It will have come as some surprise to those who blame English lethargy at tournaments on the absence of a winter break to see this, arguably the most exhilarating opening 45 minutes of tournament football so far.
Of the 22 players that started, 15 are based in England, yet there was little sign of tiredness on either side, as both went at it hammer and tongs.
Belgium were outstanding from the off and deservedly went ahead, but Wales responded magnificently, got a goal back, forged more chances, particularly from set pieces and went in at half-time deservedly level.
Indeed, far from sitting back and soaking up pressure as many expected, they were as comfortable having the ball as chasing it. When the possession statistics flashed up on the board after 37 minutes, Wales had 55 per cent.
As with Iceland, it is patronising to suggest they are a team without attacking ambition.
SUPER STAT
10 - Sam Vokes’ header was Wales’ 10th goal of the tournament. No one has scored more than them in this Euros.
Belgium are second with nine, France, Iceland, Germany and Portugal areon six.
No team with Gareth Bale in it is ever boring and with three of Belgium’s first-choice defenders missing, there was always the chance he would get on the ball and cause Belgium a significant problem.
That is what he did when Wales defeated Belgium last year and it was clear they feared a repeat here.
Jordan Lukaku – younger brother of Romelu, the striker – was required to deal with Bale, but he invariably had reinforcements. The only time Bale got away in the first-half was on the counter-attack after 34 minutes, a breakaway that saw him pursued and closed down by three Belgian defenders, before aiming a lot shot which Thibaut Courtois easily mopped up.
The biggest problem for Wales in the first-half was the number of bookings they racked up – three in the first 25 minutes, the majority of Chris Coleman’s defence.
The game was just five minutes old when Ben Davies fouled Kevin De Bruyne, receiving a yellow card from Slovenian referee Damir Skomina. Davies knew from then he would miss the semi-final, if Wales could get that far.
It should have served as a warning – instead Wales continued to make silly, and costly, fouls. James Chester blatantly tripped Romelu Lukaku after 16 minutes, and was rightly booked, before Gunter very obviously pulled back De Bruyne in an innocuous position nine minutes later.
By then, Wales must have known Skomina was not scared to produce a card for a first offence, which he surely did.
Only a superb reaction save from Courtois to deny Neil Taylor prevented Wales levelling on 25 minutes, but it didn't keep them out for long
Williams' header found the corner of the net, as clever movement and an excellent delivery allowed him the perfect opportunity
Throughout this period, Belgium were in the ascendancy and Wales were fortunate not to go behind sooner.
From one move alone, Belgium spurned three chances to score.
There were seven minutes gone when Lukaku senior broke down the left flank and put in a cross that should have created Belgium’s first goal. It fell to Yannick Carrasco at the far post, but slightly behind him, and he needed time to bring it under control. When he did, Wales goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey was already diving full length to smother his shot, which he did, brilliantly.
The ball flew out to right back Thomas Meunier who returned it with venom, only for Neil Taylor to block on the line. Out it came again, this time to Eden Hazard, and smashed goalwards again – but between them Taylor and Hennessey somehow diverted it over the bar.
Hazard then swung in the corner which Romelu Lukaku failed to meet at the far post, unmarked. Wales were living dangerously indeed.
In the 13th minute, Belgium took the lead. Joe Allen gave the ball away in midfield, allowing them to attack. Jordan Lukaku went down the wing, found Hazard inside and he slipped the ball into the path of Radja Nainggolan.
It was a goal almost as soon as it left his boot – one of those positions where the audacity of trying the shot is the first thought, quickly erased by the excellence of the goal.
It went in like a rocket, Hennessey getting no more than fingertips to the ball and with no chance of altering the trajectory.
For Nainggolan, it was redemption of sorts, having been blamed for the mistake that allowed Wales to win the last meeting between the sides.
For Hazard, it was his fourth assist of the tournament – overtaking the number he recorded for Chelsea through the entire Premier League season. One would like to be a fly on the wall at Jose Mourinho’s holiday resort.
Jason Denayer can only watch on as Robson-Kanu, having tricked his way past a static defence, slots the ball past Courtois
Robson-Kanu's goal saw Wales take the lead against the tournament's highest-ranked side, and put them on course for the last four
Wales could have crumbled – England probably would – but Coleman’s team is made of sterner stuff. From that reverse, they carved their best chance of the match, and an eventual equaliser.
Courtois in Belguim’s goal hadn’t had much to do until that point, but he pulled off the save of the match after 26 minutes.
It came from a cross by Aaron Ramsey, cut back from the right by-line and met by the unlikely figure of Taylor, already on the scoresheet at these championships, much to everyone’s amazement.
He hit it first time, but Courtois somehow got a hand to it recovering his position across goal, diverting it for a corner.
Yet set pieces are where Wales are dangerous – and five minutes later that was confirmed. It looked like a rolling maul in the centre of the area before Ramsey’s corner came in, but that was all part of the diversionary plan. When the smoke cleared, there was captain Ashley Williams, unmarked.
Jason Denayer recognised the danger but too late, and Williams gave Courtois no chance with his header.
De Bruyne, on the line, might have been able to do something about it – but he had come out slightly, and couldn’t get boot to ball in time.
From there, the action swung to the other end. Now it was Belgium’s turn to try to retrieve the advantage. Carrasco crossed and Hennessey’s fingertips took the ball from Romelu Lukaku’s head at a vital moment. Meunier crossed and Lukaku steered a free header wide.
On the left, Hazard cut inside – his trademark move – and curled a shot out of reach of Hennessey and just wide of the far post.
The crowd at the Stade Pierre Mauroy, predominantly Belgium having popped over the border, must have felt a goal was bound to come.
Wales, and Robson-Kanu had other ideas.
Wales celebrate in front of their delighted fans as Vokes header confirms their place in the last four, where they will meet Portugal.
