Wales beat Belgium to make Euro 2016 semi-finals
Wales reached the semi-finals of a major tournament for the first time after a stirring fightback to defeat Belgium in the European Championship quarter-final in Lille.
Radja Nainggolan put Belgium ahead with a thunderous 25-yard strike but Wales captain Ashley Williams headed in from a corner to equalise in a breathless first half littered with chances at both ends.
Welsh celebrations reached stratospheric levels when Hal Robson-Kanu, a striker without a club, gave them the lead with a divine turn and finish.
After withstanding late Belgium pressure, Wales sealed victory through a header from substitute Sam Vokes that set up a semi-final against Portugal and a mouth-watering duel between Real Madrid team-mates Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Wales manager Chris Coleman had described the last-eight tie as Wales’ biggest match since their 1958 World Cup quarter-final defeat by Brazil, their only previous appearance in the knockout stages of a major tournament.
His players rose to the occasion wonderfully, recovering from a difficult start to claim what must rank as the greatest win in Welsh football history.
Ranked second in the world, Belgium were strong favourites and under pressure to deliver with a prodigiously talented generation of players.
Yet despite being roared on by what must have felt like a home crowd only 10 miles from the Belgian border, Marc Wilmots’ side were blown away by magnificent Welsh performance.
Robson-Kanu’s moment of genius
Wales had to weather several periods of heavy Belgian pressure but, once they had gained a foothold in the game, they took the lead in spectacular fashion.
A neat move saw Ramsey pass to Robson-Kanu, who bamboozled the defenders surrounding him with a graceful turn which allowed him the space to calmly finish.
There was a symbolism to the goal as Robson-Kanu – a free agent following his release from Championship club Reading – swept his shot past Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
This was a goal which embodied Wales’ odds-defying run at Euro 2016, underdogs without any major tournament experience but bound by an unbreakable team spirit and a determination to create history. BBC Sport
