After emerging victorious over the second highest ranked national team in the world, Wales look as though they are on their way to the European Championships in France next year. The hearty Welsh roar at the final whistle inside the Cardiff City Stadium signifies how important Gareth Bale’s goal in the 1-0 win over Belgium was for Wales’ qualification bid. Having not qualified for a major tournament since the 1958 FIFA World Cup, topping the group would be a major feat.
The stock of Welsh football could not be higher at the moment. The world’s most expensive player, Gareth Bale, is their kingpin, and Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsey, one of the Premier League’s hottest talents, both at the heart of the side. However, it is not just the big name players who put in performances for Chris Coleman’s side. Ashley Williams, the resilient centre-half, marshals the back four as captain for club and country which proved to be watertight up against the Belgian superstars.
Stopping the threat of Eden Hazard, Christian Benteke and co is no easy task, as shown by their goalscoring exploits in the domestic leagues this season. In the two qualification group games against Belgium, Wales have kept two clean sheets: a remarkable achievement, proving that they are not as heavily reliant on Gareth Bale as is perceived. Plaudits must go to the other members of the Welsh squad who, in another generation, would be the marquee players. Joe Allen and Joe Ledley, who put in gallant performances, played a key role in thwarting the Belgian onslaught late on in the match.
While the Belgian side was brimming with Premier League talent, it was the showing of one of La Liga’s starlets, Gareth Bale, who stole the show for the Welsh. A neat finish midway through the first half was enough to gain all three points for Wales, and fire them to the top of Group B, three points clear of closest challengers Belgium. With four games to play, it is extremely likely given the remaining fixtures that Wales will head to France’s 2016 Tournament.
Outshining PFA Player of the Year Eden Hazard, who was almost non-existent in the game, and the likes of £30m Romelu Lukaku, Bale was a sensation to watch. An unpredictable enigma with unrivalled pace and power that the Belgian defence could not deal with, Bale along with his team-mates defeated a team whose last defeat was at the hands of World Cup finalists Argentina back in the Summer of 2014.
Each and every Welsh player on the pitch gave their all to secure victory, yet the energy and commitment of Bale exceeded that of his counterparts, never ceasing to chase the loose balls until his substitution late on in the game when a sea of red shirts in the stands stood and applauded arguably the best player ever to pull on a Wales shirt. Upon the final whistle, the Welsh bench was plunged into enchanted celebrations, Gareth Bale at the centre of the joyous huddle of Wales players and staff.
There are only a select few players in Europe at this present time who are on the level that Gareth Bale consistently performs at for club and country, but only the Welsh could truly understand the significance of such a victory that he delivered, effectively firing Wales to Euro 2016 qualification.
