The Euro 2016 campaign is carved into every Welsh supporters mind. From the Manic Street Preachers “Together Stronger” song which became the unofficial anthem sung throughout the country to the magic of Chris Coleman and his team, it was the month of dreams.
Highlighting an unbelievable tournament was the triumphant win against Belgium. Facing the likes of Eden Hazard, Kevin de Bruyne and Radja Nainggolan it was clear that Wales were always the under-dogs.
Belgium, as expected, dominated the opening stages of the game. With a seventh minute scramble which somehow Carrasco, Meunier and Hazard failed to capitalise on, it was only a matter of time before the deadlock was broken.
It happened in the thirteenth minute when Nainggolan received the ball from Hazard in open space, 25 yards from goal. He shot at a scrambling Hennessey who couldn’t keep the swerving missile out.
Wales nearly equalised on 26 minutes but a superb diving save from Thibaut Courtois denied a certain-to-score Neil Taylor on the six-yard line.
However, the equaliser arrived five minutes later from captain Ashley Williams who was somehow left unmarked to head home Ramsay’s corner.
Moments later, Wales’ star-man Gareth Bale found himself on the break but was unable to beat Courtois after attacking from the halfway line.
After the break, it was Belgium who were favoured to score with Romelu Lukaku heading a perfect goal scoring opportunity wide. De Bruyne sent a hopeful shot over Hennessey’s crossbar and Hazard hit a wide curling shot across the face of goal.
After weathering periods of immense pressure, it was Wales who scored the third goal of the game and in the most spectacular style.
Hal Robson-Kanu, a free agent released by Reading, was one of the unlikelier Welsh players to produce a moment of wizardry. But, a pass from Ramsey to the out-of-contract striker who beat both Belgian defenders with a magnificent Cruyff turn to then slot the ball past Courtois put the Reds ahead.
It was a goal which would go down as one of the greats in the nation’s history.
Belgium pushed and pushed for an equaliser but it never came. Wales’ only sour note of the game came when Ramsey received his second booking of the tournament for a handball which would rule him out to play the semi-final along with Ben Davies.
Sealing the euphoric win was Sam Vokes, who replaced Robson-Kanu, to sublimely head in Chris Gunter’s cross in the 85th minute.
The full-time whistle was blown and greeting it was rapturous celebrations from the ecstatic Welsh supporters. From dancing on the square of Lille to singing in the streets of Cardiff, the celebrations from the fans proved just how much the deserving win meant to the nation.
Despite losing out on a finals place to tournament winner’s Portugal, Wales’ quarter final win must go down as the greatest in their history.
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