With things very tight in Group B, Wales and Russia meet with a multitude of possibilities in play. Fears of further crowd trouble abound, with the tension as high as the stakes. Gareth Bale’s one-man crusade for a Round of 16 place will meet a gristly wall of Russian defenders, and even he might not be able to fight his way through them.
What can happen?
Well, as things currently stand, England top Group B with four points, one point ahead of both Wales and Slovakia, with Russia a further three points behind. For Wales, firstly, a win over Russia would ensure progress to the next round, regardless of other results. A draw with Russia would also ensure Wales’ progress, but only provided England beat or draw with Slovakia. If Wales lose to Russia, then Chris Coleman’s team would need England to beat Slovakia, as hopes for progress as one of the best third-placed teams would remain in play; in this case, an English draw or loss, coupled with a Welsh loss, would see Wales eliminated from the tournament as the bottom-placed team in Group B.
So, in short: Wales’ destiny is very much in their own hands, and must be aiming, first and foremost, to win this match.
Clear as mud. Just win. pic.twitter.com/6X7Iaork5R
— Stan Collymore (@StanCollymore) 18 June 2016
Russia, with backs to the wall, must suppress their frustrations.
It has been a wholly disappointing campaign for the Russians, with lacklustre results and hugely problematic fan trouble leaving a black mark on their time in France. They have to beat Wales to have any hope of qualifying for the next round, and will certainly be feeling the the pressure, as the dial is cranked up another notch or two. Their capitulation at the hands of Marek Hamsik and Slovakia in their last match was deflating in the extreme, especially after the decent defensive performance they managed against England in the opening round.
The Russian FA must be just as worried about the likelihood of further in-stadium fan trouble. In the streets of Lens last week, Welsh and English fans were seen banding together against Russian supporters, chanting in solidarity just before scenes got ugly. The Welsh will not appreciate being seen as synonymous with the English, but in the minds of a horde of angry, bitter Russian hooligans, there may well be little distinction between them. If Russia, currently on a suspended disqualification notice, are disqualified because of ugliness inside the stadium, then it appears an emergency panel might need to be arranged to sort out the issues that would result in Group B.
Finally, a Golden Generation might actually succeed.
Before Euro qualifying had concluded, Wales were dreaming simply of making the tournament proper. Having never done so before, and, at the time, still standing in the bog of a 58-year tournament drought, they wouldn’t have dared even entertain thought of a place in the Round of 16. And yet here we are, with progress very much on the cards. This is the best Welsh team for some decades, and in Gareth Bale they have a talisman who is more-than living up to his leadership mantle. Wayne Hennessey, Ashley Williams, Joe Allen, Aaron Ramsay and Bale make for a golden Welsh spine, and perhaps we’ll finally see a Golden Generation actually live up to the hype.
If Wales and England win, then Wales will meet the runner-up of Group F, likely Portugal, Iceland or Hungary. A quarter final spot beckons, perhaps?
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