' GARETH BALE '
Sun Jun 12, 2016 6:50 am
' GARETH BALE '
BY PAUL ABBANDONATO
Sunday 12th June 2016
Wales' talisman didn't actually have his finest game for his country, but he was still the biggest threat to Slovakia throughout and set the team on the way to victory with that 10th minute free-kick.
That was the first goal Wales have scored in a major finals since Terry Medwin netted against Hungary in the 1958 World Cup, so it was particularly symbolic.
Given the way football has evolved down the decades, I doubt Medwin would have struck an old-fashioned leather ball with the type of dip and swerve Bale managed with the modern fashion.
Goalkeepers are told to guard one side of the goal from free-kicks and let the defensive wall take care of the other side.
However, Slovakia's Matus Kozacik was so fearful Bale would strike the ball up and over the wall and into that corner of the net, he opted to take a stride to his left to try to cover.
It was the wrong option. Bale's shot flew into the net exactly where Kozacik should have been standing. One-nil Wales.
Bale's fearsome free-kick reputation won Wales that goal. The keeper didn't know what to do, tried to hedge his bets, and lost.
Bale started the qualifying campaign with a wonder free-kick strike against Andorra, he started these finals with another.
It was his 20th goal for Wales. It's a matter of when, not if, he breaks Ian Rush's scoring record.
The goalkeeper struggles to make itGareth Bale leaves the Slovakian keeper bamboozled with dip and swerve put on his free kick
BY PAUL ABBANDONATO
Sunday 12th June 2016
Wales' talisman didn't actually have his finest game for his country, but he was still the biggest threat to Slovakia throughout and set the team on the way to victory with that 10th minute free-kick.
That was the first goal Wales have scored in a major finals since Terry Medwin netted against Hungary in the 1958 World Cup, so it was particularly symbolic.
Given the way football has evolved down the decades, I doubt Medwin would have struck an old-fashioned leather ball with the type of dip and swerve Bale managed with the modern fashion.
Goalkeepers are told to guard one side of the goal from free-kicks and let the defensive wall take care of the other side.
However, Slovakia's Matus Kozacik was so fearful Bale would strike the ball up and over the wall and into that corner of the net, he opted to take a stride to his left to try to cover.
It was the wrong option. Bale's shot flew into the net exactly where Kozacik should have been standing. One-nil Wales.
Bale's fearsome free-kick reputation won Wales that goal. The keeper didn't know what to do, tried to hedge his bets, and lost.
Bale started the qualifying campaign with a wonder free-kick strike against Andorra, he started these finals with another.
It was his 20th goal for Wales. It's a matter of when, not if, he breaks Ian Rush's scoring record.
The goalkeeper struggles to make itGareth Bale leaves the Slovakian keeper bamboozled with dip and swerve put on his free kick
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Re: ' GARETH BALE '
Sun Jun 12, 2016 7:37 am
' AS IT STANDS TODAY '
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Re: ' GARETH BALE '
Sun Jun 12, 2016 7:45 am
Forever Blue wrote::ayatollah:
Re: ' GARETH BALE '
Sun Jun 12, 2016 8:58 am
THATS WHY WERE TOP OF THE LEAGUE
Re: ' GARETH BALE '
Sun Jun 12, 2016 9:24 am
WE ARE TOP OF THE LEAGUE. ....lol . He is class but to be fair a few players stood up and be counted yesterday " Joe allen, Ben Davies in particular ".
Re: ' GARETH BALE '
Sun Jun 12, 2016 10:30 am
Yes,all the pre-match talk was about Bale and Ramsey who played their part but there were lots of other hero's too.While we haven't got world class players all over the park we are better than the "one man band" tag we currently have.
Re: ' GARETH BALE '
Sun Jun 12, 2016 10:41 am
Sneggyblubird wrote:Yes,all the pre-match talk was about Bale and Ramsey who played their part but there were lots of other hero's too.While we haven't got world class players all over the park we are better than the "one man band" tag we currently have.
You're right, while we have one world class player, England have none at present.
It's good to see us playing as a team and the 'lesser' players stepping up and doing a great job.
Re: ' GARETH BALE '
Sun Jun 12, 2016 10:21 pm
Ben Davies's goal line clearance won that game for us IMO. I thought we looked nervous to start (maybe it was just my nerves) and I think if that went in we would have lost comfortably. Then after Bales goal we seemed to settle. Bale and Ramsey didn't play their best, but Bale scored and Ramsey got the assist for the winner.
Thought Chris Coleman got his subs spot on too and once Ledley and HRK come on we got ourselves back into the game which looked like we were going to be hanging on for a point.
Big well done for the fans, the management set up and the players, with the togetherness being shown we have nothing to fear against England.
Thought Chris Coleman got his subs spot on too and once Ledley and HRK come on we got ourselves back into the game which looked like we were going to be hanging on for a point.
Big well done for the fans, the management set up and the players, with the togetherness being shown we have nothing to fear against England.
Re: ' GARETH BALE '
Sun Jun 12, 2016 10:46 pm
I hope Robson Kanu starts against England. Bale was playing too far forward to be his effective self yesterday
Re: ' GARETH BALE '
Mon Jun 13, 2016 12:22 am
KBK-13 wrote:Ben Davies's goal line clearance won that game for us IMO. I thought we looked nervous to start (maybe it was just my nerves) and I think if that went in we would have lost comfortably. Then after Bales goal we seemed to settle. Bale and Ramsey didn't play their best, but Bale scored and Ramsey got the assist for the winner.
Thought Chris Coleman got his subs spot on too and once Ledley and HRK come on we got ourselves back into the game which looked like we were going to be hanging on for a point.
Big well done for the fans, the management set up and the players, with the togetherness being shown we have nothing to fear against England.
Bit of a strange statement. We're quite solid defensively, so not sure if the floodgates would've opened just because of a goal in the opening few minutes.