Bale proves the difference as Wales beats Slovakia 2-1

Wales players followed Russia’s lastminute equaliser against England as their plane took off from the runway at Bordeaux Airport and phones cut off, with the players celebrating by repeating fans’ chants about Ramsey and his team-mates. When he stepped up for the free-kick early in their first major tournament appearance for a generation, there was nearly an inevitability about what would occur next.

Chris Coleman watched Wales beat Slovakia in their Euro 2016 opener – and then insisted his players can do the same to England. What chance have you got against Bale’s mind tricks?

The Welsh held on and showed that even with an average Bale, they may just have enough in their arsenal to dream of their first quarter-final at an global tournament since 1958.

Next it is England; the game which has attracted so much attention since the draw.

In the second game of the day, Wales posted a win in their debut at the European Championships, after goals from Gareth Bale and Hal Robson-Kanu.

But against Slovakia Bale was not the decisive figure in the stadium.

After robbing Bale, he surged past Ashley Williams, David Edwards and James Chester before drilling a left-foot shot past goalkeeper Danny Ward – making his first start in place of the injured Wayne Hennessey – but Ben Davies slid in nearly miraculously to divert the ball behind for a corner.

“You have to be proud to play for your country”. But he looks a different man in Welsh red to Royals blue: for the latter a workaday utility forward, often shifted out to the wing to “do a job”, for the former a relentless centre-forward who will press and chase and harry and provide endless problems.

But substitute Robson-Kanu fired home the victor 10 minutes from time to hand Wales the ideal boost before Thursday’s Group B clash with England in Lens.

For worldwide defenders, he’s the football equivalent of a toothache.

‘The fans were unbelievable, ‘ he said.

Yet none of those men were the most important to the victory.

Wales manager Chris Coleman often says his team are on a journey.

Robson-Kanu nearly created a goal with his first real involvement, crossing for Ramsey from the right, but the midfielder’s header from inside the six-yard box went over the bar. That’s just how Wales rolls.

Now he could line up against England on Thursday, the ideal shop window for a striker without a club and available on a free transfer this summer.

“I think it would have been harder if Wayne hadn’t been playing that position for United”, said Hodgson. He certainly believes it, and the way they played and won against Slovakia might persuade a few other people too. But the substitutes were both involved in a goal that will be long remembered by Wales fans. It’s that they’re good.