21:09:00
LILLE, France -- Three quick thoughts on Wales' 3-1 victory over Belgium in the Euro 2016 quarterfinals on Friday.
1. Unified Wales knock out Belgium
Wales are in the semifinals of the European Championship. Wales are in the last four. Wales are a single victory away from an actual, real-life final.
It doesn't matter how you say it, it doesn't matter how many times you say it, this still feels like a particularly odd dream. But it's real. And it's not built on luck or odd refereeing or a desperate rearguard action. Wales are pushing through this tournament because they're good, because they're driven and because they're together.
There could be no greater sign of that togetherness than the response to those three incredible goals on Friday. There are some teams whose benches stew in discontent, filled with unused substitutes whose pride has been hurt so badly that they can't bring themselves to even smile when their team scores. Not this team. Not this bench. Every single person, every player and every coach, was out of their seat and racing down the touchline for every strike.
This team isn't ripped by factions or cliques. No personality dominates. They celebrate together. They win together. And how they won.
t y went for this. They defended when they had to, they fought off overwhelming attacks frm a Belgian side that started both halves with overwhelming force. But then they responded and they did so on the front foot. Up against the second-highest team in the FIFA rankings, Wales seemed to acknowledge that they were in the last eight, and they played as if they belonged.
When the pressure came, they were equal to it. When their backs were against the walls, they stood strong. And when the chance came to put the game to bed, to cut Belgium down once and for all, they delivered.
Wales are in the last four. Wales are in the last four. Wales are in the last four.
Nope. Still sounds weird.
2. Bale, Ramsey and Wales' irrepressible attack
Having conceded early to a ferocious Radja Nainggolan effort, the portents weren't good. For a short time, Wales were in peril, facing an opponent with what seemed more than enough firepower to bring their tournament to an abrupt end.
It didn't help that referee Damir Skomina was in ruthless mood. Ben Davies attracted his ire as early as the fifth minute, seeing yellow for a block on Kevin De Bruyne. Minutes later, James Chester caught Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian striker took two steps before crumpling to the ground. Chester was booked anyway. Midway through the half, Chris Gunter saw yellow too, for a tug on De Bruyne's shirt. The situation looked bleak.
In the stands, the Welsh fans were enraged, and with some justification. But their roars of disapproval seemed to spur their players forward, galvanised and renewed. Aaron Ramsey got forward on the right, cutting the ball back for Neil Taylor, whose side-footed effort was well saved by Thibaut Courtois. And then, in the 31st minute, came the response. A Ramsey corner found Ashley Williams completely unmarked in the penalty area. Courtois had no chance, mainly because his defenders didn't give him one.
Now Wales were alive and Gareth Bale was irrepressible. There seemed nothing the Belgians could do apart from batten down the hatches and hope that they survived the storm. It took all of Courtois' reach to gather Bale's low effort as the break approached.
Again Wales fought off a ferocious Belgian start, parrying shot after shot. Again, they responded and in incredible style. Ramsey raced into space on the right and found Hal Robson-Kanu on the penalty spot. With Thomas Meunier, Jordan Lukaku and Marouane Fellaini all in close attendance, it seemed that Robson-Kanu had dawdled too long on the ball. This was palpably not the case. One swift Cruyff turn left the Belgians baffled, and one powerful finish left them trailing for the first time.
Unlikely chancers riding their luck? Nonsense. This was a goal of unimpeachable quality.
Belgium pushed for an equaliser. Wales were forced back. Ramsey, so impressive in this tournament, earned himself a yellow card and a suspension that will rule him out of the semifinals. But Wales weren't done. They weren't going to invite pressure. They kept looking for an outlet, a way to put the result beyond doubt. And then they found it. A deft Sam Vokes header beating Courtois comprehensively. What a result. What a night. What a team.
3. Belgian defence crumples
"A manager is always scared of his team having an off-day," said Marc Wilmots this week. How prophetic that proved.
Beset by injuries to the defence, Belgium were vulnerable. From the first whistle, Bale drifted over to the right toward Jordan Lukaku like a shark approaching a fisherman who needs a bigger boat.
Belgium initially kept their heads, though, passed the ball among themselves and then took control. Four times in the opening five minutes, they broke down Welsh flanks, tossing in crosses that caused all sorts of concern. Then they peppered Wayne Hennessey's goal with shots; Yannick Carrasco, Meunier and Eden Hazard all blasting goalward only to be denied by all manner of desperate blocks.
But no one could block Nainggolan's shot just six minutes later. From 30 yards out, it screamed into the top corner. No one could say that it hadn't been coming. Belgium needed to press home their advantage. Instead, they let Wales back into the game. It would prove a costly error.
There are benefits to Wilmots' laissez-fairemanagement. Having a reportedly hands-off manager soothes a dressing room known to be difficult and allows the more-talented members of the side to express themselves at will. But while the attackers can thrive, the defence suffers. Wilmots' absentees are well known, but surely it can't be hard to ensure that, at the very least, a man as dangerous as Williams is marked properly at set pieces. It cost Belgium once. It could have cost them again just before the break.
Wilmots threw on Fellaini, sacrificing creativity for more physical presence in the middle. Belgium started at a ferocious pace. But it was Wales who took the lead and there was nothing Belgium could do to get back in the game. A 74th-minute header from Fellaini typified their night, flashing across the face of the goal, just wide of the far post. When Vokes scored Wales' third, Belgium crumpled.
On the touchline, Wilmots' face told the whole story. His team had an off day. He was right to be scared.
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