Dragon slayer
Ronaldo dashes Welsh dreams
WALES saw their Euro 2016 dream crushed by the power of Cristiano Ronaldo as Portugal claimed semi-final glory in Lyon.
The Real Madrid superstar proved the difference between the sides, opening the scoring early in the second half with a soaring header and creating a second for Nani three minutes later.
Ronaldo’s goal saw him equal Michel Platini’s record of nine European Championship goals, and left his Bernabeu club-mate Gareth Bale deflated. Portugal meet France or Germany in Sunday’s final at Saint-Denis, while Wales will return home to a heroes’ welcome after their memorable exploits.
At the tram stop down the road from the ground they were selling tickets for £200 a shot but many of those travelling from Wales had already paid more, much more, at home. Some had gone to £400 a ticket. Others to £600.
too much for a game of football? Maybe. Maybe not. After all, how do you put a price on a memory, on a landmark moment? For that was what this was. Win or lose, this was Welsh history being made. Again.
In the end, it was a defeat. Cristiano Ronaldo saw to that. A big goal to help Portugal win a big game.
So there will be no final in Paris for Wales, no perfect end to this fairytale. A semi-final in a major tournament. Who would have believed it? Who would have forecast it?
Well, Andy King did as it happens. In an interview with Sportsmail in May, the Leicester midfield player — brought in last night to replace the suspended Aaron Ramsey — broke off from talking about his club’s Barclays Premier League triumph to suggest that Wales could do something remarkable that summer. ‘I think Wales could win it,’ he said.
Not wishing King to appear silly, we never carried those words. If newsroom spikes still existed, they would still be on it. except King knew more than we did. Coming into this game everybody was beginning to wonder if Wales really could win it. After last Friday’s dismantling of Belgium in Lille, anything seemed possible.
And that is why watching Wales stand toe to toe with Portugal here was so marvellous.
that is why £600 — for those lucky enough to be able to afford it — perhaps was not too much.
We live in an age of instant gratification and entertainment. Nothing lasts, everything flies by like conversations on the Snapchat app that disappear from the phone screen as they move along.
But nights like this do endure, especially when you haven’t had one before. It was 1958 the last time Wales played in a game as big as this, remember. It was so long ago — against Brazil in the World Cup — that a lad called Pele scored his first international goal.
here in France, we all thought the defeat of Russia was the high point. two Welsh guys on a tandem cycled from Bordeaux to the south coast just to be there and a 3-0 victory to finish top of Group B ahead of england was an achievement in itself.
that night in toulouse, a fortnight or so ago, felt like an ‘I was there’ occasion but as it turned out it was just the start of things.
Last night the faces in the crowd and in the media tent told their own story.
the late Gary Speed’s father, Roger, was there. he will have noticed when the Welsh contingent started to sing about his son midway through the first half.
‘I’m very, very proud,’ Speed snr had earlier told the BBC.
‘I know all the lads and they think about Gary all the time — let’s do it for Speedo. he’d be as proud as we are.’
elsewhere, meanwhile, Mark hughes and his assistant at Stoke Mark Bowen were spotted.
they were in charge of Wales the last time glory beckoned, a play-off defeat by Russia stopping their qualification for euro 2004 in its tracks in Cardiff.
Players from that squad were here, too. Nathan Blake and Iwan Roberts, the latter with a Wales scarf tied round his neck.
Men like that came close 12 years ago but no bitterness remains. they weren’t here as former players or managers but as Welshmen seeking a tiny piece of ownership of history.
Until recently, of course, the Welsh only left home to go on holiday or watch the rugby team. Not any more.
Last night the way that Wales have played throughout this tournament was illustrated by the way that Portugal set out to play. this was Portugal, a nation that has featured in seven major semi-finals. But here they sat back from Wales for periods.
they didn’t seek to impose themselves, they didn’t press.
It seemed as though they were a little wary of Wales, a team adept at striking on the counter in France.
to Chris Coleman’s Wales players, the Portuguese approach merely represented an invitation. Gareth Bale certainly saw it that way and that was no surprise.
One gallop through the middle of the Portugal midfield ended with a shot fielded by goalkeeper Rui Patricio and prompted Ronaldo to turn and gesture towards his team’s coaching staff.
At that moment, it was clear who was winning the battle of the two big noises from Madrid. Soon after hal Robson-Kanu, who does not lack confidence, made a mug of Bruno Alves and crossed for King to head over. Wales were, at that moment at least, the better team, the team that had a recognisable plan that they knew could work.
In the end, Ronaldo did for them. the leap above James Chester to score the first goal was majestic. the mis-hit shot to set up Nani’s goal soon after was a little lucky.
So Wales were downed by the best player in europe. No shame in that. It was still worth the money.
earlier in the day, a young lady in Paris became the one millionth visitor to the fanzone at the eiffel tower. She was Welsh and her prize was a ticket to Sunday’s final.
On behalf of a nation who have lit up this tournament — on behalf of a team who have made us all feel a bit better about ourselves — it is to be hoped that she goes.