Wales soared into the Round of 16, crushing a lethargic Russian team that had little to offer on the pitch. Bale, Ramsey and, of all people, Neil Taylor scored the goals, as Wales’ maiden Euros rolls on.
For Russia, the post-mortem will be ugly. A failed campaign, in every sense, marred by crowd violence, and now one that has been tarnished further still.
Wales was in full control of this match, despite their propensity to turn possession over in deep midfield. Russia simply succumbed to the Welsh incision, as Gareth Bale and co scythed through Leonid Slutsky’s defence with ease.
Bale rose to the top of the tournament’s scoring ranks, and put in an all-action performance of superlative dribbling and influence.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
Here are the major talking points to come out of the match:
Ramsey’s eagerness a rare asset
Against England, Aaron Ramsey was lively in the extreme, popping up in all areas of the midfield, pressing with relish, tackling with zest, a whirring, platinum-capped Welsh rover. He was, for most, Wales’ best player in that defeat. Here, he was lively from the outset once again, but was rather less useful; again the Gunners attacker was often seen, but his interventions involved twice giving the ball away, or running unwisely into large Russian foes. Where he had looked active against England, he looked hyper-active against Russia.
But hyper-activity can still have its benefits, and, moments after somehow hitting a one-man wall from a Wales free kick, Ramsey was sent through by a gorgeously caressed Joe Allen through-ball. His first touch was clean, and his second sublime, a perfect dink over the onrushing Akinfeev. Having played, up until that point, with all the poise of a child in the midst of a sugar frenzy, he produced a moment of utter coolness, and Wales led. Sometimes Ramsey can look a little manic, but his energy is so valuable to Chris Coleman’s midfield balance.
A bitter last hurrah for much of this Russian team
Six players in this Russian squad are 31 or older, with four over 34. This is an ageing team, with more than a few member who will not remember their last hurrah fondly. The Russians certainly had enough possession to make this more of a contest, but were lacking the invention – the verve, a youthful quality – to create anything in the final third. With the World Cup kicking off in Moscow, it’s worth wondering exactly how many of these veterans will make the squad in 2018. An injection of youth is undoubtedly needed, a concern that, in truth, pales in comparison to the off-field reform Russia 2018 also needs a dose of.
Sam Vokes offers something unique
Hal Robson-Kanu, while a useful player for Coleman, offers primarily assets of utility; running, drawing defenders away from Bale, pressing and defending from the front. But he has precious little primary virtues, and started on the bench tonight.
Coleman’s decision to start Burnley’s Sam Vokes, a towering presence, was wholly vindicated, as Vokes gleamed as a powerful focal point to the Wales attack. For a team that is required to exhaust as much energy as Wales, to have an outlet like Vokes to punch long balls to is vital. He ably offered that, and linked up beautifully with Aaron Ramsey, very much a Giroud-lite for the Arsenal midfielder. Robson-Kanu was the nominal first choice pre-tournament. Vokes has done as much as he can to claim his own stake.
Joe Allen rises above the sniggering.
‘The Welsh Xavi’; normally used as a slightly facetious term of ridicule, Joe Allen lived up to his unofficial moniker in this match, passing with exemplary accuracy and thought, tackling voraciously, and appearing very much the ideal modern midfielder.
ENGLAND 0 SLOVAKIA 0
Like a neat, twinkling piece of nano-technology, if Bale is the sinewy limbs of Wales, Allen is the the futuristic heart, ticking away nicely, keeping the tempo of this match beating to an easy rhythm. At Liverpool he’s been derided, in spite of his goal-scoring run to end the Premier League season. Here, on the European stage, he has proven his pedigree.
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