Wales v Slovakia

:01:06. > :01:09.It is 58 years since Wales last featured in a major tournament, but

:01:10. > :01:12.that long wait is about to come to an end in just under one are's time

:01:13. > :01:19.when Chris Coleman's sidekick off Slovakia.

:01:20. > :01:35.It could be quite a party down in Bordeaux. -- one hour's time. Let's

:01:36. > :01:43.enjoy the ride. Together, stronger. Come on, Wales. Chris Coleman's men

:01:44. > :01:48.have freed Wales from the shackles of their history. Have a century of

:01:49. > :02:36.heartache and last gasp failure. Now they know. Now they have done it.

:02:37. > :03:06.MUSC: "Together Stronger (C'mon Wales)" by Manic Street Preachers.

:03:07. > :03:17.Gareth Bale strikes again. Wales have arrived at the Stade de

:03:18. > :03:21.Bordeaux. The likes of Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey have achieved

:03:22. > :03:26.something that proved beyond legends like Marcus, Ian Rush and Ryan

:03:27. > :03:30.Giggs. It has been some journeys since Wales's first and until now

:03:31. > :03:40.only appearance at a major tournament. The 1958 World Cup. Long

:03:41. > :03:43.before a Gareth Bale and the class of 2016, the hopes of Wales rested

:03:44. > :03:54.on the shoulders of another superstar.

:03:55. > :04:04.# Some people say that man is made out of the mud.

:04:05. > :04:12.John Charles was a superstar of world football, and the shining

:04:13. > :04:17.light of the Welsh football team. In 1958, spirits were at an all-time

:04:18. > :04:24.high. Wales were on their way to their first-ever major football

:04:25. > :04:35.tournament, the World in Sweden. -- World Cup.

:04:36. > :04:41.After drawing game against Hungary, Mexico and Sweden in the group

:04:42. > :04:47.stages, Wales beat hungry again in a play-off. -- Hungary. They had made

:04:48. > :04:53.it to the quarterfinals of the World Cup. They would face Brazil, but

:04:54. > :04:58.would have to do it without John Charles, who was injured. They are

:04:59. > :05:03.without John Charles. If that is not enough, they face the favourites,

:05:04. > :05:11.Brazil. What's more, Brazil were about to unleash their own

:05:12. > :05:15.superstar. Pele. We are making a change in the programme note to

:05:16. > :05:20.bring you News of the World Cup game between Wales and Brazil. Wales were

:05:21. > :05:25.not given a chance but fought all the way. It was a close match, but

:05:26. > :05:32.the Brazilian superstar proved to be the difference, scoring the only

:05:33. > :05:41.goal of the game. All credit to gallant Wales for holding Brazil to

:05:42. > :05:45.a single goal. Wales are out of the World Cup competition but they can

:05:46. > :05:49.go home with their heads held high. Wales were heroes, they had made it

:05:50. > :05:58.to the quarterfinals of the World Cup. It should have been the start

:05:59. > :06:04.of something. Was not. Years would pass, major competitions would come

:06:05. > :06:09.and go. A man would go to the moon. A man would have enough of the men.

:06:10. > :06:16.The years just kept rolling. Tournament after tournament would

:06:17. > :06:22.completely passed Wales by. Goal kick. In 1974, Wales would finally

:06:23. > :06:30.start to improve under a new manager, former schoolteacher Mike

:06:31. > :06:34.Smith. In just two years, Smith took Wales from qualification no hopers

:06:35. > :06:40.to the brink of the European finals. Just listen to this atmosphere. It

:06:41. > :06:44.is probably the most important match that Wales have played since their

:06:45. > :06:51.final appearance in the 1958 World Cup. In the game against use larger

:06:52. > :07:01.-- in the game against Yugoslavia, it came down to one moment. He's

:07:02. > :07:04.doing supremely well. A penalty was awarded to Wales and the

:07:05. > :07:07.responsibility fell to their captain, Terry Yoda. I thought,

:07:08. > :07:13.you're the captain, you will have to take it. I have never taken a

:07:14. > :07:23.penalty in my life before. I swear, my knees were knocking. It is saved.

:07:24. > :07:37.The captain wants the ground to open up. Surely that no tolls the bell

:07:38. > :07:42.for Welsh chances. It was the closest Wales could come to a major

:07:43. > :07:46.tournament since 1958. What they had giving the fans hope and the next

:07:47. > :07:55.year something bigger was up for grabs, a place at the 1978 World Cup

:07:56. > :07:58.in Argentina. Playing at Anfield, Wales had to beat Scotland to

:07:59. > :08:08.qualify, and once again, the captain would lead the team. A chance for

:08:09. > :08:15.Wales. Unlucky. Wales were giving it everything. John Toshack, and nice

:08:16. > :08:24.touch, chance for the captain to shoot. It is blocked. John Toshack,

:08:25. > :08:31.unlucky. The match still remained level as it drew to a close. Claims

:08:32. > :08:42.for handball. A penalty has been given. There is a hand up, I do not

:08:43. > :08:49.know why. There it is. One could almost say that was a Scottish hand.

:08:50. > :08:57.Davies to save the day for Wales. No problem. Lifted by the penalty,

:08:58. > :09:03.Scotland quickly scored and Welsh dreams of a World Cup were over. A

:09:04. > :09:09.chance to put one in early. Kenny Dalglish with the goal. Two years,

:09:10. > :09:15.two penalties. Wales where out again. Scotland will definitely go

:09:16. > :09:21.to the World Cup finals in Argentina next year. Terry, I do not think I

:09:22. > :09:27.have ever seen Wales play better than that. We played very well. We

:09:28. > :09:33.are sick. There have been a few tears in the dressing room. I cannot

:09:34. > :09:39.say any more. Sick myself. In 1985, Wales would play Scotland again in

:09:40. > :09:47.another crucial World Cup qualifier. Again, penalty, and again, three

:09:48. > :09:52.familiar words. But this time, the game would be remembered for

:09:53. > :09:55.something more serious. Scotland manager Jock Stein collapsed at the

:09:56. > :10:11.end of the match and later died of a heart attack.

:10:12. > :10:18.The road to next year's World Cup finals is completed on Wednesday

:10:19. > :10:22.with the last 12 qualifying matches taking place. Wales, under the

:10:23. > :10:27.guidance of their captain, will be going to the States if the

:10:28. > :10:34.Beatlemania in Wales. No medical required, just a need for self

:10:35. > :10:41.belief. It is the captain's 100 match for Wales as a player and

:10:42. > :10:49.manager. It will all come right. Inside again. It opens up for him.

:10:50. > :11:05.It has gone through. That is a good one. That was in by Dean Saunders.

:11:06. > :11:13.1-1. 1-1, one more goal needed. It is all alive again at the National

:11:14. > :11:26.Stadium. Gary Speed, was he held? Yes, penalty.

:11:27. > :11:36.He has hit the crossbar. Such opportunities cannot be spurned. It

:11:37. > :11:44.is so cruel, it had to be taken, but it was not. The nightmare was back.

:11:45. > :11:50.Marcus had been one of Wales most experienced players, but this was

:11:51. > :11:55.his first job as a manager. From my point of view, it was easier for me.

:11:56. > :11:59.I was coming in at the time when we were at a low point. I was trying to

:12:00. > :12:04.make people be positive and feel like there was a way forward. That

:12:05. > :12:12.was my approach. It was a work in progress. In the first two years and

:12:13. > :12:19.Marcus, Wales only won the game, but crucially, he had the belief of his

:12:20. > :12:26.players. I will say this very slowly, Wales two, Italy one. It is

:12:27. > :12:31.not something I can say very often, so I will say it again. Wales went

:12:32. > :12:37.on to finish second in their group and secured a play-off with Russia.

:12:38. > :12:51.The header, delight the Russians. Wales last. Dreams of Euro 2004 were

:12:52. > :12:54.over. Wales fans had spent nearly 50 years on watching their team miss

:12:55. > :13:02.out on competing on the biggest stage. It had become the Wales

:13:03. > :13:05.experience. Gary Speed had been a mainstay of the Wales football team

:13:06. > :13:13.for 14 years as a player and captain. In 2010, he became manager,

:13:14. > :13:20.and took over a squad of young players. They had been through two

:13:21. > :13:27.qualifying campaigns under John Toshack, but were still nowhere near

:13:28. > :13:30.a major tournament. Morale was low. Gary Speed has really stuck with his

:13:31. > :13:34.plan of trying to change the way that Wales play football, involving

:13:35. > :13:38.the skill of Gareth Bale. We are beginning to see they can play a

:13:39. > :13:43.different style of football. It is difficult for him, he has a young

:13:44. > :13:49.set of players and that is hard at club level. On the international

:13:50. > :13:52.scene, it is even more difficult. They smack would finish their first

:13:53. > :13:56.year under Gary Speed by thrashing Norway at the Cardiff City Stadium.

:13:57. > :14:01.We have had ten games and we knew it would take time, but we have

:14:02. > :14:08.probably, further than I thought in the year. I am really pleased. The

:14:09. > :14:18.Norway match would prove to be Gary Speed's final game with Wales.

:14:19. > :14:25.For somebody so ridged with life, in fairness, he was very gregarious,

:14:26. > :14:36.everyone liked to be in his company. He was a leader of men as well. He

:14:37. > :14:41.was just a great guy to be around. And the late Gary Speed will be in

:14:42. > :14:46.many people's minds today. What the job Chris Coleman has done with this

:14:47. > :14:52.squad since taking over in the most testing of circumstances. A momentum

:14:53. > :14:55.stay for Welsh football. In the studio, we welcome Rio Ferdinand,

:14:56. > :14:59.Allen Shearer, who played with Coleman at Blackburn, and the man

:15:00. > :15:04.who represented Wales 70 times, Dean Saunders. It is a special day for

:15:05. > :15:14.Welsh football. It is. We have waited a long time for this. We are

:15:15. > :15:17.a rugby nation, and that comes first, but we are just pleased to be

:15:18. > :15:19.here to start with. Brilliant to be involved. I never got there as a

:15:20. > :15:25.player, and then assistant manager. So thank you for inviting me. You

:15:26. > :15:32.have made it, you're close. How are you feeling? Is the nation tends?

:15:33. > :15:39.If we could win this first game... We always said, thinking back, if

:15:40. > :15:43.Gareth Bale is fit, we have a chance. Thankfully we're here today

:15:44. > :15:49.and he's fit. People talk about Gareth Bale all the time but he kind

:15:50. > :15:52.of steered them through the qualifying campaign where Wales

:15:53. > :15:57.performed so well, didn't they? Yes, they were fantastic. They were a

:15:58. > :16:02.hard team to beat, a really strong unit, really set themselves up with

:16:03. > :16:05.a strong defensive solidity, led by Ashley Williams at the back. He was

:16:06. > :16:10.the mainstay for them. When you've got someone like Gareth Bale in your

:16:11. > :16:16.team who is their star man, you can say get the ball to someone like

:16:17. > :16:20.him. Give it to Gareth Delve Chris Coleman, you know him well, you

:16:21. > :16:28.played with him at Blackburn, he's a big personality, quite a character?

:16:29. > :16:32.He is come he's a great character. Very dogged, very determined. When

:16:33. > :16:35.he took over in very testing circumstances because of what

:16:36. > :16:41.happened to the late Gary Speed, he lost nine of his first 13 games as

:16:42. > :16:45.manager. It tells you a lot about who he is and what he is that he is

:16:46. > :16:51.able to come through this group and get them to where they are now. But

:16:52. > :16:54.then just here to enjoy it, there's no point in entering the competition

:16:55. > :16:59.if they don't believe they can win it. He will believe he can take this

:17:00. > :17:03.team further. How tough was it for Chris Coleman to come in under those

:17:04. > :17:08.circumstances? Really tough because Gary took over from John Toshack, he

:17:09. > :17:13.had a lot of young players, decided to play the way he wanted to play

:17:14. > :17:17.which was playing football from the back, progressive football up the

:17:18. > :17:22.pitch. The whole nation got a massive blow losing Gary at his age

:17:23. > :17:27.and he had just got the team winning. I think they had won five

:17:28. > :17:31.out of their last five. Chris takes over, decides not to change

:17:32. > :17:36.anything. Because the players liked Gary. That was his biggest problem

:17:37. > :17:40.he had to bite his lip at times for his own principles, because we all

:17:41. > :17:44.think differently, and he lost nine games out of 13. He said in the end,

:17:45. > :17:49.if I don't do something, I'm going to get sacked. So I'm going to go

:17:50. > :17:53.back to what I want to do. So he set the team up to defend. And we've got

:17:54. > :17:59.some ammunition on the break and it has worked. It certainly has. This

:18:00. > :18:03.is a tough game, Slovakia. They beat Germany just a couple of weeks ago

:18:04. > :18:08.in a friendly and they beat Spain in qualifying and they've got some good

:18:09. > :18:15.players. They've got their talisman, Marek Hamsik as well. They're very

:18:16. > :18:19.comfortable defending. They're very comfortable defending but they

:18:20. > :18:24.haven't got a Gareth Bale, they've got someone like Hamsik, who is a

:18:25. > :18:31.creator. One of the top three creators in the Italian league last

:18:32. > :18:35.season alongside Paul Pogba and Pjanic. But they don't have someone

:18:36. > :18:40.to put the ball in the back of the net and that is their big problem.

:18:41. > :18:49.The previous meetings produced 13 goals. It finished 5-1 to Slovakia

:18:50. > :18:52.in Cardiff and 5-2 to Wales in Slovakia. Neutral territory today

:18:53. > :18:57.for Chris Coleman. It has been a long wait for these players. How is

:18:58. > :19:02.everyone, coming into this match? Yeah, we're obviously very excited.

:19:03. > :19:09.This is what we've always wanted. You can feel the tension and the

:19:10. > :19:14.excitement and the anxiety because it's such a big deal for us, you

:19:15. > :19:17.know? We've waited so long to be at a major tournament and now we're

:19:18. > :19:22.here in such an unbelievable stadium, playing against a top team

:19:23. > :19:24.in Slovakia. We will have something like 25,000 people who have

:19:25. > :19:27.travelled to Bordeaux from Wales to support their team and their

:19:28. > :19:32.country. It's a fantastic feeling, I can't describe to you how proud we

:19:33. > :19:36.are and we're looking forward to this challenge coming up. It's a sea

:19:37. > :19:44.of red out in Bordeaux today and this, how important Willie Beefy

:19:45. > :19:47.your players to block out the atmosphere? I actually tell them to

:19:48. > :19:53.take a look around and see the Welsh boys, the fans who follow us

:19:54. > :19:56.everywhere. We have taken incredible support again today. I want our

:19:57. > :20:00.players to take a deep breath and breathe it in because they've made

:20:01. > :20:04.it happen. If you can't enjoy something like this, you're in the

:20:05. > :20:10.wrong industry. Thank you very much Chris. This is the first of five

:20:11. > :20:16.games to be played in Bordeaux. Around 360 miles south of Paris. The

:20:17. > :20:22.42,000 capacity stadium cost ?140 million and was opened last year. It

:20:23. > :20:30.was built by the architects hind Munich's Allianz Arena. It is

:20:31. > :20:31.designed to resemble the pine trees of the nearby forest. Let's take a

:20:32. > :20:59.look at how the two teams line up. -- goalkeeper Matus Kozacik played

:21:00. > :21:06.in every minute of qualifying. Duris plays up front on his own. Let's

:21:07. > :21:11.look at the Welsh starting line-up. Wayne Hennessey has suffered a back

:21:12. > :21:15.spasm, sadly, so Liverpool youngster Danny Ward makes his first start for

:21:16. > :21:19.his country. What a day to make your debut. Ashley Williams marshals a

:21:20. > :21:24.three-man defence that conceded just four times in qualifying. Dave

:21:25. > :21:30.Edwards of wolves is selected in midfield. Joe Ledley is not yet fit

:21:31. > :21:34.to start. Up front of course, Gareth Bale, and he will have a free role,

:21:35. > :21:41.Jonny Williams playing just around him. What do you think too that

:21:42. > :21:47.starting line-up, Alan? One or two surprises in there. Yeah, I think

:21:48. > :21:51.Williams will be behind him and Ramsey will be asked to get up to

:21:52. > :21:55.support him as well. They will just say to Gareth Bale, forget about

:21:56. > :22:00.going back and defending, do your work up front, we will the ball to

:22:01. > :22:04.you as much as possible. You basically got a free role, go and

:22:05. > :22:07.show everyone what you can do. A massive blow for Wayne Hennessey,

:22:08. > :22:15.wakes up with a back spasm and can't play. I'm pleased for Danny Ward.

:22:16. > :22:19.I've worked with both players, I was at Wolves with Wayne and he did his

:22:20. > :22:23.cruciate ligament, came back and it went again. He's just got back

:22:24. > :22:28.playing. Welshman through and through. He will be absolutely

:22:29. > :22:31.devastated. It's probably one of them, you go to bed, wake up in the

:22:32. > :22:37.morning and you're back has gone. Yeah, I've been there. Young Danny

:22:38. > :22:43.Ward... Tell us about him. Can he handle this? He can carry yeah. I

:22:44. > :22:48.had to tell him to stop swearing in youth games! He talks, it was wrong

:22:49. > :22:52.swearing but at least he talks, that's what you need is a

:22:53. > :22:56.goalkeeper! He's super-confident, he was in the youth team at Wrexham

:22:57. > :23:03.when I was there and we ended up selling him to Liverpool. We got

:23:04. > :23:07.some sell-ons. So the board of directors will be like that today!

:23:08. > :23:13.If he plays today he will get another bonus. When you look at that

:23:14. > :23:17.Wales team, they're not a big team, they've got Williams at centre half

:23:18. > :23:20.but they would look for Hennessy to come and dominate and catch and take

:23:21. > :23:28.crosses as much as they can. We'll ward automatically do that? -- will

:23:29. > :23:32.Danny Ward do that? You're right, we've just started conceding a view

:23:33. > :23:36.from set plays in the build-up to this tournament which is a bit of a

:23:37. > :23:39.worry. Danny is about six foot three but he comes to things and he will

:23:40. > :23:43.shout and he will talk and he's great with his feet. I wouldn't take

:23:44. > :23:49.too much into the games leading up to this tournament because

:23:50. > :23:53.fortunately I know a few of the players through the company that

:23:54. > :23:56.manage me, and speaking to them, I sensed a bit of apprehension in

:23:57. > :24:03.those games, maybe worrying about contact with players for fear that

:24:04. > :24:05.they might miss a tournament. This is their first tournament, these

:24:06. > :24:14.guys are really nervous about adding injured, getting into action with

:24:15. > :24:19.any other player they're playing. I agree with you, that's why I never

:24:20. > :24:28.scored in the build up to Euro 96, they were all friendlies. Two years,

:24:29. > :24:32.and they gave you a CBE! They will be thinking I can't miss this

:24:33. > :24:36.through the last minute. Dave Edwards in for Andy King, that's a

:24:37. > :24:41.bit of a surprise? Yes but we mentioned before, Hamsik, he is

:24:42. > :24:46.their danger man. He gets a lot of goals from running on the edge of

:24:47. > :24:49.the box so Dave Edwards will be approach rolling around that area to

:24:50. > :24:55.make sure he doesn't get those opportunities. That is key, he needs

:24:56. > :25:00.to be there with that defensive mindset to stop anything getting

:25:01. > :25:05.through to him. Time to hear from a man representing Wales for a first

:25:06. > :25:11.time at a major tournament. Sadly for him, it's as co-commentator.

:25:12. > :25:14.Jason Mohammad is with Robbie Savage.

:25:15. > :25:20.Thank you very much, welcome to Bordeaux, the noise is incredible.

:25:21. > :25:26.You did come very close in 2003-4. How does it feel to be surrounded by

:25:27. > :25:29.so many noisy Welsh fans here? Incredible. We were out in the city

:25:30. > :25:35.last night and the atmosphere was incredible. Thousands have turned

:25:36. > :25:45.out to see Wales in abundance in the first time in their history in so

:25:46. > :25:50.long. Wayne Hennessey woke up with a back spasm, so what a huge day for

:25:51. > :25:55.the 22-year-old Danny Ward. 21 appearances for Aberdeen and not so

:25:56. > :26:01.long ago he was playing in the Conference for Tamworth. What is

:26:02. > :26:04.amazing is that the team have been so relaxed and we've seen a view of

:26:05. > :26:08.them here today, James Collins just came over to have a chat with you

:26:09. > :26:13.and they looked incredibly focused and ready. Yes, they looked fit and

:26:14. > :26:17.strong and that is how they went through the qualifying campaign,

:26:18. > :26:21.with smiles on their faces. Now it's important they trying get out of

:26:22. > :26:25.this group and get off to a good start against Slovakia today. So

:26:26. > :26:28.many players who have massive roles in this qualifying campaign, none

:26:29. > :26:33.more so than the superstar himself, Gareth Bale. Yes, but defensively

:26:34. > :26:38.we've done well as well. It's not all about Gareth Bale, but going

:26:39. > :26:42.forward he had 52 shots in the group stages, the most of any player. 82%

:26:43. > :26:47.of the goals, he was involved in. Going forward we are so reliant on

:26:48. > :26:54.that superstar, Gareth Bale. Great noise here in Bordeaux, Gary.

:26:55. > :26:58.STUDIO Yes, unsurprisingly so. There is the

:26:59. > :27:02.main man, Gareth Bale. A two-time Champions League winner with Real

:27:03. > :27:08.Madrid of course, and scorer of seven of Wales's in 11 games in --

:27:09. > :27:14.11 goals in qualifying. A global superstar he may be but he's never

:27:15. > :27:17.forgotten his Cardiff roots. It was a qualifying campaign that always

:27:18. > :27:22.glowed with a collective spirit but it was illuminated by a guiding

:27:23. > :27:27.light. Qualifying now gives way to the real thing. It's been a long

:27:28. > :27:32.time coming. We've worked very hard for this, since I started in the

:27:33. > :27:41.Welsh setup and we've had many journeys that have failed but now

:27:42. > :27:44.we've been successful. I'm just trying to take it all in and look

:27:45. > :27:50.forward to the whole experience. He is ours but we have to share him,

:27:51. > :27:52.with the club -- a club never afraid to spend like no other. At ?85

:27:53. > :28:11.million, Galactico, another world. Little Gareth Frank

:28:12. > :28:19.Bale, from the Cardiff suburbs. Cycling's Gareth Thomas and Sam

:28:20. > :28:23.Warburton came here too. He was quiet, went about his work, didn't

:28:24. > :28:28.upset too many people, was easy to get along with. He was the kid who

:28:29. > :28:33.was good at football, you know? If the ball to Bale, that was the main

:28:34. > :28:39.call. A guiding light already, then, and one soon on his way. Talent

:28:40. > :28:42.spotted by the dad Hampton Academy and not long afterwards, the first

:28:43. > :28:51.team. -- spotted by the Southampton Academy. The next man to notice,

:28:52. > :28:54.John Toshack, manager of Wales. A child prodigy in his day, but not as

:28:55. > :29:00.young as this. COMMENTATOR: Gareth Bale becomes

:29:01. > :29:08.Wales's youngest ever International, 16 years and 315 days, Wales's

:29:09. > :29:11.celebrated wonder kid. Late May 2006, a friendly against Trinidad

:29:12. > :29:16.and Tobago, the teenager looking very much at home. Good ball from

:29:17. > :29:22.Bale here and that might just have won the game! Gareth Bale,

:29:23. > :29:26.record-breaker, how does that feel? Yeah, obviously it's good, yeah,

:29:27. > :29:29.enjoy every minute of the game and just happy to get on. What has it

:29:30. > :29:36.been like with the senior squad? It's just a good new experience for

:29:37. > :29:39.me and I enjoy every minute of it. September 2014, Wales had not

:29:40. > :29:45.qualified for a major tournament since 1958. He lay the great

:29:46. > :29:49.challenge. At the start of qualifying he realised that

:29:50. > :29:52.something was possible and I think he thought to himself, I really need

:29:53. > :30:01.to perform to get this team over the line. Not the best of starts.

:30:02. > :30:07.COMMENTATOR: Davis, Bale with the header, 1-1! Gareth Bale comes to

:30:08. > :30:14.the rescue in the nick of time for Wales!

:30:15. > :30:38.. Gareth Bale again. -- 2-1. Bale exit. 2-0. Ramsey, and he has scored

:30:39. > :30:43.a second tonight. Back in 2007, when he was still 17, he was on the move

:30:44. > :30:47.again, from Southampton to Tottenham Hotspur. I have made the right

:30:48. > :30:52.decision. It is obviously a big club. Hopefully we can fulfil that

:30:53. > :30:59.and I can be part of it. It was a faltering start. His verse 24

:31:00. > :31:03.Premier League games produced no victories. Sir Alex Ferguson branded

:31:04. > :31:09.imaging. Such mischief were soon silenced. Then a Champions League

:31:10. > :31:14.game against Inter Milan. Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 down at half-time. I

:31:15. > :31:18.said I am not going to take off Gareth. I felt we needed to be a

:31:19. > :31:25.threat going forward. He scored an amazing hat-trick. In 2013, he was a

:31:26. > :31:31.headline act. Would they be any different as a person? Four days off

:31:32. > :31:36.last week. I felt he needed a break. He has been working hard. I said to

:31:37. > :31:43.him, go abroad for a few days. He did, he went to Cardiff and stayed

:31:44. > :31:48.with his mum. I do not believe it. Bale has done it. They loved him at

:31:49. > :31:50.home and came after him from abroad. And one club in particular could

:31:51. > :32:11.afford him. He is than plastic player, fantastic

:32:12. > :32:16.talent. It is not easy for a player who comes to another country. The

:32:17. > :32:19.first year he did really well. On the David Gareth Bale was presented

:32:20. > :32:24.as a Real Madrid player, the president gave him the, you're here

:32:25. > :32:31.to win things for Real Madrid, and the thing we are most interested in

:32:32. > :32:34.is the European cup. Nine months later, he scores the winning goal in

:32:35. > :32:38.lesbian to win the European cup. He had already scored a ridiculous goal

:32:39. > :32:44.to win the Copa del Rey final. You could not wait for a better season.

:32:45. > :32:48.-- you could not wish. He was about to turn red-hot for his country.

:32:49. > :32:57.Beat Belgium in Cardiff and Wales could dream dreams as big as

:32:58. > :33:00.anyone's. He has scored. Every training session and every game,

:33:01. > :33:05.there is definitely a Gareth Bale moment when you think you

:33:06. > :33:08.superhuman. It is nice to be on the same pitch as him. When you think

:33:09. > :33:13.back to some of the things he has done with Wales, the goals, it is

:33:14. > :33:18.unbelievable. Richards on the edge of the penalty area, sweeps it

:33:19. > :33:23.towards Bale. Would you believe it, the man on a mission, to take Wales

:33:24. > :33:27.to France. I just try and go out and play with all the boys. We all

:33:28. > :33:32.defend together as one team. If someone loses the ball, we all go

:33:33. > :33:37.looking for it back. If someone makes a mistake, we get on with it.

:33:38. > :33:41.We do everything together, on and off the field and it makes us

:33:42. > :33:45.stronger. Back in Madrid, he had caught a dose of second season

:33:46. > :33:54.blues, rumours of friction with Cristiano Ronaldo. Some blamed Bale.

:33:55. > :33:58.I think that because Gareth does not speak Spanish, he does not engage

:33:59. > :34:02.with the media, it makes it too easy for them when things go wrong for

:34:03. > :34:09.him to be attacked. But Holm was always there. Who has had the best

:34:10. > :34:13.shot you can think of? Bale. Home is home and you can never change that.

:34:14. > :34:27.Whenever I get the chance to go home, I always do. High, do you mind

:34:28. > :34:32.if I join in. -- hi. Victory against Bosnia and Wales would qualify. But

:34:33. > :34:39.be lost, 2-0. Then they heard that Israel had lost as well. Wales will

:34:40. > :34:43.be in Rome next summer. I never felt it would not happen. We have been

:34:44. > :34:48.through difficult times with Wales, on and off the pitch, but we believe

:34:49. > :34:52.that when we got older and got more experience at international level,

:34:53. > :34:58.we would be stronger. Our time is now. May 2016, the Champions League

:34:59. > :35:04.final again. A marathon in Milan ended in smiles. All is well in

:35:05. > :35:07.Spain, and no Championship finals await. Ten years on from the

:35:08. > :35:14.youngest ever at that time to the guiding light of his age. Just how

:35:15. > :35:19.big do we dream? To be fully involved as a nation is going to be

:35:20. > :35:23.amazing for everybody. We hope we can do everybody proud. I am sure we

:35:24. > :35:27.will have goose bumps, that is for sure, especially with the wealth

:35:28. > :35:31.funds, when they are singing the anthem, knowing everyone back home

:35:32. > :35:41.is watching on television. -- the Welsh fans. You never know. There's

:35:42. > :35:46.years, Gareth Bale, as supreme talent. He has developed beautifully

:35:47. > :35:50.into a powerful yet brilliant footballer? He was a star at

:35:51. > :35:58.Tottenham Hotspur. He is now a superstar. He is begin player. He

:35:59. > :36:00.has proven that in the Champions League finals for Real Madrid. His

:36:01. > :36:04.country is now on his shoulders. Whether he likes it or not, here's

:36:05. > :36:08.the man who everyone looking to. Some of the goals he scored in

:36:09. > :36:13.qualifying, seven goals, the range of goals, that is a towering header,

:36:14. > :36:18.not only to get up there but to get the power and the accuracy. It is

:36:19. > :36:24.something very special. Another header, attacking it again with

:36:25. > :36:30.pace. Free kicks with the left foot. Getting it up and over the wall.

:36:31. > :36:36.Like Cristiano Ronaldo. There is a whole range of goals in him. You are

:36:37. > :36:41.right in what you say. He has bulked up. When you look at the size of him

:36:42. > :36:47.now, he is so powerful and quick. He score some great goals. He is just a

:36:48. > :36:53.top player. I am a massive admirer of him myself. As someone who has

:36:54. > :36:58.played against him... This one, the technique to take it on his right

:36:59. > :37:01.foot and his chest, it is brilliant. To play against him, a lot of the

:37:02. > :37:07.time you just see you back of him, because he is that quick. I chased

:37:08. > :37:12.him at Old Trafford and he was running away from me. He scored with

:37:13. > :37:20.his right foot. I was not happy with the goalkeeper's position. He is the

:37:21. > :37:25.modern-day footballer. Him or Cristiano Ronaldo. He is perfect,

:37:26. > :37:29.strong, aggressive, dynamic. The responsibility is on his shoulders

:37:30. > :37:32.to carry his nation. The best players in the world accept that and

:37:33. > :37:37.thrive under the pressure. You worked with John Toshack when you

:37:38. > :37:41.were assistant with Wales. Do you think in some ways, the fact that

:37:42. > :37:45.with Real Madrid he is slightly in the shadow of Cristiano Ronaldo, but

:37:46. > :37:51.when he is with Wales, everything comes on him and he loves it? He

:37:52. > :37:56.loves playing for Wales. He is a nice lad. He has gone to Real

:37:57. > :38:01.Madrid. We all look up to someone. He has looked at Cristiano Ronaldo,

:38:02. > :38:07.and he has gone, I can start scoring headers and free kicks. He has

:38:08. > :38:10.improved. Nobody misses a trick. Everyone watches every move he

:38:11. > :38:15.makes. He does not get frustrated with the Welsh players he is playing

:38:16. > :38:20.with two are not as good. He never shows frustration and teaches is

:38:21. > :38:25.lost causes. They all do it and he carries the team. He loves playing

:38:26. > :38:29.for Wales. You can see when he celebrates how much it means. When

:38:30. > :38:33.he shows that attitude, everyone else has to. If a superstar is doing

:38:34. > :38:39.it, everyone has to. Setting the ready example. Let's head back to

:38:40. > :38:42.Bordeaux teacher from another excited Welshman.

:38:43. > :38:50.Jason is with John Hartson. How does it feel to be standing here? It is

:38:51. > :38:55.incredible. Unbelievable. We have waited a long time. They are hearing

:38:56. > :39:00.there are thousands. Wales have the majority of the supporters. Slovakia

:39:01. > :39:06.have some bank bad goal. They were lining the streets last night,

:39:07. > :39:12.singing, jovial. -- have some supporters behind that goal. Wales

:39:13. > :39:16.are not here to make up the numbers. There is such a massive temptation

:39:17. > :39:19.to talk about the England game in Lines, but they have all talked

:39:20. > :39:27.about getting the victory against Slovakia. Yes, it is imperative they

:39:28. > :39:31.do not get beat. If they can win, it is brilliant. They face a tough,

:39:32. > :39:36.strong side who were excellent in the qualifiers. They have good

:39:37. > :39:41.players all over the park. They play 4-5- one. They pack the midfield and

:39:42. > :39:46.play on the counterattack. It is important for Wales to try to get

:39:47. > :39:50.Gareth Bale, who is integral to the way that Wales play, on the ball

:39:51. > :39:56.with space to run at the opposition. Is important they get service to

:39:57. > :40:00.him, supply. Gareth will play as a leading role, further up the pitch.

:40:01. > :40:06.You will not see him running from beet. Wales have no other strikers

:40:07. > :40:12.on the pitch, they have three on the bench, Vokes, Church and

:40:13. > :40:17.Robson-Kanu. Gareth will have the freedom to roam and get on the ball.

:40:18. > :40:21.Good man, in joy it. I am pretty sure there will be lots of Wales

:40:22. > :40:25.fans and the players and team officials thinking about the

:40:26. > :40:28.phenomenal work of one Gary Speed, and what he put into this

:40:29. > :40:33.organisation. Very true. So much optimism around

:40:34. > :40:40.the Wales camp. They are facing a Slovakia team that ran out 3-1

:40:41. > :40:45.victors over Germany in a friendly just a few weeks ago. The qualified

:40:46. > :40:49.against Spain. Slovakia began the campaign with six straight victories

:40:50. > :40:56.and held off the challenge of Ukraine to secure a first appearance

:40:57. > :41:01.at the Euros. It is going to be a special day. I have been playing in

:41:02. > :41:06.England for such a long time. A lot of players I have been playing

:41:07. > :41:09.against. It will be a special game. From my point of view, I will try to

:41:10. > :42:27.do my best to be successful and help my team.

:42:28. > :42:34.This is a great thing for me, to be the captain of the national team. It

:42:35. > :42:41.is the role that every player dreams about. I will try to do my best, you

:42:42. > :42:49.know, I will try to work for the players, try to work for the team.

:42:50. > :42:53.Plenty of familiar faces in the Slovakian team. Obviously Hamsik is

:42:54. > :42:57.their star man. Yes, five goals in qualifying. Ever present in

:42:58. > :43:05.qualifying. As Rio Ferdinand said before that, there is not a lot of

:43:06. > :43:09.goals in this team. But if there is, the probability is they will come

:43:10. > :43:13.from this man. He has a habit of getting into that position, coming

:43:14. > :43:18.in late, coming up to support. You want to make a point about the

:43:19. > :43:22.fullbacks? The three midfield players, that has got to be Allen,

:43:23. > :43:27.Edwards and Ramsey. You have to latch onto him. When the ball goes

:43:28. > :43:32.behind our defence, he is the danger man. You cannot let him arrive in

:43:33. > :43:37.the box late. I imagine that the tactics of Chris will be, maybe he

:43:38. > :43:42.is playing Edwards for that reason. He has a knack of getting into the

:43:43. > :43:46.position and supporting the lone centre forward, Duris. There he is

:43:47. > :43:52.in the Number 10 Rolf. He finishes with his right foot and comes

:43:53. > :43:58.inside. He sends the defender down. His left foot. He smashes it again.

:43:59. > :44:03.There he is again, on the edge of the box. A little bit of luck with

:44:04. > :44:07.the finish through the legs. Expect him to do that today. The

:44:08. > :44:12.interesting thing will be how the back three of Wales Corp. He will

:44:13. > :44:15.arrive late, and the one centre forward. I think you've got to

:44:16. > :44:21.designate one of the midfield players to sit on him. Sometimes the

:44:22. > :44:25.back four will drift to the six yard box when a cross comes in. He is

:44:26. > :44:30.coming in around the penalties but, the bollards behind him. If one man

:44:31. > :44:35.is going to do that it will be Edwards. It is vitally important

:44:36. > :44:38.that the back three, the captain, Williams, to be talking to those

:44:39. > :44:44.three, telling them, left, right, push up. He does not need several

:44:45. > :44:51.touches, he can hit balls first time. Now your favourite substrate,

:44:52. > :44:57.Liverpool central defenders. Martin Skrtel, he is the leader of this

:44:58. > :45:02.side. -- favourite subject. Yes, he is living the dream. He was not a

:45:03. > :45:07.regular for Liverpool this season. It will be playing on his mind. He

:45:08. > :45:12.will be looking to shake that off in the shirt of his nation. He is a

:45:13. > :45:17.solid defender, powerful, aggressive, he wants contact with

:45:18. > :45:22.players. His problem is when players start to drift off him and ask him

:45:23. > :45:26.to defend one against one. I am sure that the likes of Jonathan Williams,

:45:27. > :45:30.Ramsey and Bale will be doing that, trying to isolate him. When he's up

:45:31. > :45:37.against people he is commanding, but he has had a very good at Liverpool.

:45:38. > :45:41.Time to hear from the Welsh captain. Ashley Williams played every minute

:45:42. > :45:45.of every game in qualifying. The Swansea City defender was born in

:45:46. > :45:49.Wolverhampton but has a Welsh grandfather. He made his debut in

:45:50. > :45:59.2008 and winces 60th cap today. Everything about this summer has

:46:00. > :46:06.been with the unknown. It is something new for us. The games in

:46:07. > :46:11.the tournament is the same. We need to stick to what we know and we

:46:12. > :46:17.can't go wrong. John Toshack always talks about the day he went to

:46:18. > :46:24.Hereford to see you in a lunchtime kick-off, left after 45 minutes and

:46:25. > :46:29.said yeah, we'll take him. Proved a good 45, didn't it? I heard a

:46:30. > :46:33.different story, that he said he is rubbish, we don't want him, and then

:46:34. > :46:36.somehow I got back in the squad! I don't know what the actual story

:46:37. > :46:43.was. COMMENTATOR: Wales will be in France

:46:44. > :46:47.next summer in the Euro 2016 finals! Since we've qualified, we haven't

:46:48. > :46:52.really hit that level of performance. Different reasons for

:46:53. > :46:57.that but we needed to get the business done in the qualifying

:46:58. > :47:04.campaign, with the friendlies the pressure was off a bit and we knew

:47:05. > :47:14.we had the tournament coming. The friendlies don't help really, from a

:47:15. > :47:17.play a's point of view. Now we just want to get that and take in the

:47:18. > :47:24.atmosphere before we hear the first whistle and compete, really. What

:47:25. > :47:28.threat will Slovakia pose? It's a tough game because everyone thinks

:47:29. > :47:33.this is the easiest one for us, it's the first one, we've never done it

:47:34. > :47:37.before. They're a good team, they're very dangerous on the counterattack.

:47:38. > :47:43.They can play a number of formations. As we always did in the

:47:44. > :47:46.qualifiers, we will concentrate on ourselves. We can try and nullify

:47:47. > :47:50.them but the main thing is to concentrate on our own performance.

:47:51. > :47:54.As a captain, do you try and get the players are poor calm the players

:47:55. > :47:58.down? I think the message for most people will be keep your head, keep

:47:59. > :48:01.your emotions in check, do what you've always done your whole

:48:02. > :48:08.career, what got you to hear. I don't need to get anyone up for that

:48:09. > :48:12.game, to be honest. I think everyone will be right up for it so it will

:48:13. > :48:19.just be about controlling the levels of excitement. Chris Coleman's men

:48:20. > :48:24.have freed Welsh football from the shackles of their history! We

:48:25. > :48:28.understand what it means to everyone, it means everything to us.

:48:29. > :48:31.I think there's a re-good patriotically about the place and we

:48:32. > :48:35.all understand what it means to play for Wales. Well, if Gareth Bale is

:48:36. > :48:39.important going forward for Wales, Ashley Williams is certainly vital

:48:40. > :48:43.for them at the back. A big night for their leader, someone you know

:48:44. > :48:48.very well, Rio, a big friend of yours. This fella doesn't miss

:48:49. > :48:51.football matches, does he? He doesn't he turns up, minutes played

:48:52. > :48:57.in the Premier League he is at top of the tree. It is ridiculous

:48:58. > :49:00.really. The goalkeepers normally top that chart all the time but he's

:49:01. > :49:06.always there. Physically he is rugged and he's a leader of men. He

:49:07. > :49:10.is someone that the other players will look to and there's no denying

:49:11. > :49:13.he is the captain and leads from the front. When there is situation is

:49:14. > :49:17.when you have to put your body on the line for your team or the end

:49:18. > :49:22.the right position, he's always there. He smells the danger. A few

:49:23. > :49:25.players like Vidic, John Terry etc, when the ball is in the box, the

:49:26. > :49:30.ball just comes to them or they just sniff it out and managed to put

:49:31. > :49:34.their body on the line. He's one of them guys. Here you see, throwing

:49:35. > :49:37.his body in the way. He's done this countless times in the last three or

:49:38. > :49:41.four years. I'm just surprised that one of the top three or four teams,

:49:42. > :49:46.Arsenal is especially, haven't taken a punt on him and put them in their

:49:47. > :49:49.team. He knows the Premier League inside out. He's not one of them who

:49:50. > :49:53.turns up for a couple of games a season, he's their week in week out.

:49:54. > :49:57.You mentioned about him not playing for one of the bigger clubs. I spoke

:49:58. > :50:01.to Brendan Rodgers about him when he was at Liverpool and he tried to or

:50:02. > :50:04.three times to sign him but for whatever reason the board wouldn't

:50:05. > :50:09.back him, because of his age all the money he would have cost, but I

:50:10. > :50:13.think he would have been a great addition to Liverpool's team. I'm a

:50:14. > :50:17.Swansea fan from Swansea and he's the main reason they've done well.

:50:18. > :50:21.He can play a certain style of football. I watched him play for

:50:22. > :50:25.Stockport before Tosh picked him in the squad and he tried to dribble

:50:26. > :50:30.out of the box a couple of times, Dave Jones was the manager and stood

:50:31. > :50:34.at the side of the pitch and he kicked the next four balls over the

:50:35. > :50:37.standard! I thought, he'll do for us! The one thing he is missing is a

:50:38. > :50:49.song, take a look at this. # Ain't nobody like Joe Ledley

:50:50. > :50:57.# Makes me happy, makes me feel this way

:50:58. > :51:09.# Ain't nobody like Joe Ledley # Joe Allen!

:51:10. > :51:15.# Gimme Hope, Joe Allen # Gimme Hope, Joe Allen, till the

:51:16. > :51:18.morning comes # It's much too late to find

:51:19. > :51:20.# When you think you changed your mind

:51:21. > :51:27.# You'd better take it back or we will both be sorry

:51:28. > :51:33.# Aaron Ramsey, baby! # Aaron Ramsey Oh!

:51:34. > :51:41.Aaron Ramsey baby... Aaron Ramsey has had a kind of up and down season

:51:42. > :51:47.with Arsenal, but bags of talent, really. He has. He's another one, he

:51:48. > :51:50.makes the runs from midfield and his clinical when he gets in there. A

:51:51. > :51:54.couple of seasons back he got a good number of goals and you thought this

:51:55. > :51:59.is a new Frank Lampard type player. He had a sticky last season but

:52:00. > :52:03.again, he always gets in there and he's a player who tries a lot of the

:52:04. > :52:06.difficult things a lot of the time, he can frustrate team-mates, but

:52:07. > :52:09.when it comes off it looks beautiful. He can be a real threat,

:52:10. > :52:23.Dean? Yes, himself, and he will put you in.

:52:24. > :52:28.He's really talented. A nasty injury at Birmingham a couple of years

:52:29. > :52:32.back. He's come back from that. He's one of our best players. If he plays

:52:33. > :52:36.well, we win. I had a couple of nasty injuries like he had and it's

:52:37. > :52:40.tough to come back. That tells me he's got character. I think the

:52:41. > :52:45.three players we've covered so far for Wales, Williams, Bale and

:52:46. > :52:52.Ramsey, they could get in the England team. I agree, definitely.

:52:53. > :52:56.Williams goes in as a centre half, Ramsey at attacking midfield and

:52:57. > :53:00.Bale plays where he wants! We're not talking about England, that's the

:53:01. > :53:04.next game! We certainly look forward to that one. Let's hope that Wales

:53:05. > :53:07.and England get off to a decent start. If you can just get off to a

:53:08. > :53:13.decent start, get a bit of momentum, a bit of belief. I actually think, I

:53:14. > :53:16.net it's a bit of the subject, but I think Northern Ireland will do

:53:17. > :53:20.really well as well. I think they've got all the equipment to do well.

:53:21. > :53:24.You know what's important? I'm pretty certain Chris said this to

:53:25. > :53:27.his players, "Look, you have worked your socks off, you've done

:53:28. > :53:32.unbelievably well to get yourselves in this position, do not waste it.

:53:33. > :53:36.What an opportunity you guys have got, do not leave anything in that

:53:37. > :53:40.dressing room. Have no regrets after this game". In a sense it's not

:53:41. > :53:45.really about motivating the players, is it? It's about keeping them calm.

:53:46. > :53:48.Yet, motivating the guys at this stage, that's not the problem. It's

:53:49. > :53:53.about making sure they go out there with a clear mind. Managing your

:53:54. > :53:56.emotions. Don't get caught up with all the excitement, all the

:53:57. > :53:59.hullabaloo that goes with the tournament. You've got to be at your

:54:00. > :54:05.best, you've got to be calm. Can they do it, Alan? Yes, I think they

:54:06. > :54:12.can. A lot depends on Bale but I think they might nick it by a goal.

:54:13. > :54:22.Yes, I will go 1-0 Wales. Dean, need I ask? 2-0, Wales! It's been a long

:54:23. > :54:25.wait, but Wales's time has come. Our commentators are Robbie Savage and

:54:26. > :54:29.Steve Wilson. COMMENTATOR: Good afternoon

:54:30. > :54:40.everybody. You are quite right. The last was in Gothenberg when Pelle's

:54:41. > :54:44.-- Pele's last international goal knocked Wales out of the 1958 World

:54:45. > :54:49.Cup. -- his first international goal. Slovakia the opposition and

:54:50. > :54:55.these are the proud Welshman you can imagine. Backed here by huge support

:54:56. > :55:05.in this beautiful stadium and this beautiful city. They've been here

:55:06. > :55:10.for the last few days. Always joyful. It is Slovakia's first ever

:55:11. > :55:13.appearance at a European Championship finals and the

:55:14. > :55:17.Slovakians line up for their national anthem.

:55:18. > :56:34.And now a moment that's been 58 years in the waiting and a moment

:56:35. > :56:43.that should not and must not pass without a thought for Gary Speed. At

:56:44. > :56:56.last, in a tournament finals, the national anthem of Wales.

:56:57. > :57:06.# Mae hen wlad fy nhadau yn annwyl i mi

:57:07. > :57:17.# Gwlad beirdd a chantorion, enwogion o fri

:57:18. > :57:28.# Ei gwrol ryfelwyr, gwladgarwyr tra mad

:57:29. > :58:17.Wow. Beautiful. Gary Speed's dad Roger is amongst those Welsh fans

:58:18. > :58:39.today. What an occasion. So, Wayne Hennessey's last-minute

:58:40. > :58:43.back spasm has led to a first ever international start for Liverpool

:58:44. > :58:52.reserve Danny Ward. Joe Ledley broke his leg at the beginning of May. He

:58:53. > :59:00.is fit but not in the 11. So much depends on Gareth Bale. He has broad

:59:01. > :59:11.shoulders and he very rarely disappoints. Proud, proud

:59:12. > :59:30.moment for Ashley Williams and for Martin Skrtel. The Norwegian referee

:59:31. > :59:35.in charge, 37 years old. Slovakia did appear in the World Cup finals

:59:36. > :59:39.in 2010, when they beat Italy. They beat Spain in qualifying for this

:59:40. > :59:45.tournament and they beat Germany in Germany 12 days ago. Marek Hamsik is

:59:46. > :59:57.the golden boy, nine seasons at Napoli now but still only 28. Kucka

:59:58. > :00:02.has enjoyed a good season at AC Milan, Martin Skrtel not so much at

:00:03. > :00:06.Liverpool. Manchester City fans will run member Vladimir Weiss will stop

:00:07. > :00:10.your thoughts on this historic moment? The national anthem was

:00:11. > :00:13.absolutely electric in this stadium. What an opportunity for Wales in the

:00:14. > :00:20.opening game against a big, strong Slovakians side. I think Wales will

:00:21. > :00:24.have more possession but it's important they get the ball in those

:00:25. > :00:36.forward areas to that superstar which is Gareth Bale. There he is!

:00:37. > :00:46.Wales, need I say, in red and white, from left to right. There is Hamsik,

:00:47. > :00:50.the only player in the Slovakian team to score double figures of

:00:51. > :01:01.international goals. He is very Gareth Bale. Slovakia will get the

:01:02. > :01:09.game under way, taking from a right to live in the Stade de Bordeaux.

:01:10. > :01:13.What the stadium. It holds a little under 14,000 people. It is

:01:14. > :01:18.predominantly red and white. The Norwegian referee blows his whistle

:01:19. > :01:32.and Sabatier get the game under way. Chasing the back pass. -- and

:01:33. > :01:37.Slovakia. Are you worried about the team selection, given the injuries

:01:38. > :01:41.to Robson-Kanu, and given the options that Chris Coleman had, I

:01:42. > :01:45.surprised and eating is not in the side? Very unfortunate not to start.

:01:46. > :01:50.He won the Premier League with Leicester. It is a vote of

:01:51. > :01:55.confidence for David Edwards, playing in the Championship. He is a

:01:56. > :01:59.good player. Johnny Williams also missing. He is starting on the

:02:00. > :02:04.right-hand side. There -- I thought he would play at Number 10, but it

:02:05. > :02:08.looks like Aaron Ramsey will take up that spot, just buying Gareth Bale.

:02:09. > :02:15.It is important that they will look for Bale. Aaron Ramsey, blonde now.

:02:16. > :02:23.He was bundled from behind. He felt he might have got a free kick. Wales

:02:24. > :02:29.will be happy to play on. That is into the gloves of the Slovakian

:02:30. > :02:35.goalkeeper, cause a cheque. That was a confident start, Ramsey and Bale

:02:36. > :02:41.linking up nicely. A few tricks, the backheel from Ramsey. It is a free

:02:42. > :02:49.kick, Ashley Williams into the back of Duris. Chris Coleman said

:02:50. > :02:53.yesterday that no is not the time to sit back and enjoy the moment. There

:02:54. > :03:06.is the time to roll up your sleeves, and do the job.

:03:07. > :03:17.That was in towards Duris. It was a heavy touch. That was by Hrosovsky.

:03:18. > :03:21.Great cover from Chester. He is playing the right side of

:03:22. > :03:25.centre-half. He had to get across, a few boys out of position, and he

:03:26. > :03:41.made a vital interception, James Not a great patch from Bale. This is

:03:42. > :03:51.Duris. The challenge came in from Davies. Hamsik has dispossessed him.

:03:52. > :04:00.He goes on. I'm believable. -- unbelievable. Ben Davies, I have got

:04:01. > :04:06.to say what an absolutely fantastic run from Ramsey. -- from Hamsik.

:04:07. > :04:11.Watch Ben Davies get back up the line. A fantastic goal saving

:04:12. > :04:16.challenge. It had goal written all over it, but his right leg stretched

:04:17. > :04:20.out, great cover from Ben Davies. It seemed impossible that the ball

:04:21. > :04:25.would not go into the back of the net. It is a Slovakian corner.

:04:26. > :04:33.Headed out by Bale. That is what Hamsik is capable of. The Wales fans

:04:34. > :04:39.are unhappy. They felt that Johnny Williams was fouled. That was a

:04:40. > :04:45.foul. The free kick has been taken quickly, and Hamsik, it is Williams

:04:46. > :04:54.who is shouting to those around him. Wales under pressure. The referee's

:04:55. > :04:58.whistle has relieved that somewhat. You're right about Hamsik. What are

:04:59. > :05:04.run. It was Gareth Bale who did not see him on his shoulder. We can see

:05:05. > :05:09.the foul. Taylor gets clattered. Going back to Hamsik, the way he

:05:10. > :05:14.drove inside, faintly to shoot, he beat three Welsh players, he went

:05:15. > :05:19.past the goalkeeper. Fantastic play from Hamsik. He has 81 goals for

:05:20. > :05:25.Napoli, level with Diego Maradona, and believably. He has played more

:05:26. > :05:31.than 300 games in the top flight in Italy, Marek Hamsik. Wales will know

:05:32. > :05:37.all about him, but knowing about him and stopping him are two different

:05:38. > :05:44.things. That is a foul by Joe Allen on Kucka. It is important now that

:05:45. > :05:50.the captain, Ashley Williams, just grabs hold of Davies and Chester and

:05:51. > :05:59.says, can dine. Wales have lots of the ball at the minute. -- Slovakia.

:06:00. > :06:04.-- calm down. It was within a whisker of being the worst possible

:06:05. > :06:09.start for Wales. Hamsik again, finding Weiss. Joe Allen tidying up

:06:10. > :06:40.for Wales, finding Ramsey. Koza chick away for. The header.

:06:41. > :06:45.Play on. That was a good ball. Chris Gunter has started every Welsh

:06:46. > :06:51.international for three years. The wingbacks are playing- or Wales.

:06:52. > :06:52.Taylor on the left. They will get forward at every opportunity. Good

:06:53. > :07:08.energy. It is the man whose clearance it

:07:09. > :07:09.was, Ben Davies, for Wales, as the ball seemed destined for the back of

:07:10. > :07:30.their net. Taylor thought it was his, but it is

:07:31. > :07:38.not. The warm up game for Slovakia, the notable victory over Germany,

:07:39. > :07:44.3-1. The tour game against Northern Ireland in their final warm up game,

:07:45. > :07:46.and it finished goalless. -- they drew a game against Northern

:07:47. > :07:58.Ireland. That is a Wales free kick. Chester, Williams and Davies have

:07:59. > :08:25.all gone forward. Ramsey's ball in. Those are

:08:26. > :08:30.checked's not entirely convincing clearance. Joe Allen did not get any

:08:31. > :08:33.real direction at what was an attempt at the shot. Ashley Williams

:08:34. > :08:40.could not diverted towards the goal. A decent ball into the box by Aaron

:08:41. > :08:46.Ramsey. The goalkeeper seemed to flat batted. It was a great punch.

:08:47. > :08:53.Joe Allen could not sought his feet out. The goalkeeper coming through

:08:54. > :09:02.those bodies. He does not get a great punch. Durica and Skrtel were

:09:03. > :09:08.doing him no fear of areas. -- no favours. Bouncing cheques and

:09:09. > :09:21.bouncing Slovaks. That is the chase for Dusan Svento,

:09:22. > :09:35.whose only international goal came against Wales.

:09:36. > :09:43.Ramsey enjoying the cans to run with it. He has given it away to

:09:44. > :09:48.Hrosovsky, who is the defensive screen for Slovakia's back four.

:09:49. > :09:58.That was well anticipated by Chester. Williams. It is a free

:09:59. > :10:00.kick. Hrosovsky says no, the Norwegian referee says yes. He has

:10:01. > :10:10.started the game well, Johnny Williams. He goes past Hrosovsky.

:10:11. > :10:14.This is a great position for Gareth Bale, on his favoured left foot. He

:10:15. > :10:18.has that Cristiano Ronaldo technique where he seems to hit it with the

:10:19. > :10:22.laces. It's where was all of the place. It is a great opportunity now

:10:23. > :10:37.for the Welshman. The Slovakian Wallace about a yard

:10:38. > :10:39.outside their 18-yard box. Gareth Bale is standing around 30 yards

:10:40. > :10:59.away from the Slovakian goal. Bale for Wells. It is in. -- Wales.

:11:00. > :11:10.He completely filled cause a cheque. 1-0 Wales. -- he completely filled

:11:11. > :11:16.Matus Kozacik. He has done it again. Gareth Bale on his favoured left

:11:17. > :11:21.foot, the way he strikes the ball. I would like to see the goalkeeper's

:11:22. > :11:27.starting position. He takes a step to his left, I have no idea why. It

:11:28. > :11:31.is a great strike by Gareth Bale but the goalkeeper takes a step to his

:11:32. > :11:37.left. Look at the technique. Up and down. I think the goalkeeper has

:11:38. > :11:45.moved too soon. Why take a step to the lad? Who cares, it is 1-0,

:11:46. > :11:54.Gareth Bale. Gareth Bale for Wales, 1-0 in Bordeaux. The goalkeeper,

:11:55. > :12:04.cause a cheque, made a fatal step to his left. He could not get it. Matus

:12:05. > :12:13.Kozacik. If you're going to do that, you have got to make sure you cover

:12:14. > :12:22.the right. 1-0, Wales. Williams could not quite pick out Taylor.

:12:23. > :12:27.That was well covered by Robert Mak. Listening to Rio Ferdinand before

:12:28. > :12:34.the game, he said 1-0, I Jonathan Williams says that the Gareth Bale

:12:35. > :12:36.golf. I would take that right now. That was a little push in the back

:12:37. > :12:53.of Kucka. The goalkeeper will be kicking

:12:54. > :13:02.himself, not entirely convincing from the cross. Then, no shame in

:13:03. > :13:04.being beaten by Gareth Bale free kick, but he did not help himself,

:13:05. > :13:34.the goalkeeper. Confidence coursing through Welsh

:13:35. > :13:36.legs. Kucka had fallen behind Duris. That is a good ball. Williams

:13:37. > :13:49.covered. It is a goal kick. Just look at the technique, the way

:13:50. > :13:55.he hates it with the inside of his fate. It dips over the wall. If the

:13:56. > :14:02.goalkeeper stays in his normal starting position, I think he saves

:14:03. > :14:04.that. But he moved to the left. Look at these Welsh fans, what it means

:14:05. > :14:10.to the travelling thousands of Welsh fans. They have been in great

:14:11. > :14:16.spirits in Bordeaux. That sums up Wales, the celebration, everybody

:14:17. > :14:19.involved. The hash tag is together stronger. That is what it is about.

:14:20. > :14:45.A long way to go. This is Ramsey. No foul. Dusan Svento and over.

:14:46. > :14:51.There was no contact. It is a throw into Wales. That is the positivity

:14:52. > :15:02.of this Welsh side. Look are higher up the pitch they are.

:15:03. > :15:19.-- look how high up the pitch. Allen, trying to avoid Kucka.

:15:20. > :15:23.Hamsik's ball played his team-mate into trouble, Hrosovsky.

:15:24. > :15:35.Wales free kick. Definite foul, there. Duris, no eyes on the ball,

:15:36. > :15:40.no attempt to play the ball. James Chester focused on the ball. Free

:15:41. > :15:46.kick Wales. What a positive start. They've got the goal. Their hustling

:15:47. > :15:52.and harrying, giving the Lameki inside no time whatsoever on the

:15:53. > :15:59.ball. -- giving the Slovakian side no time whatsoever. Could have been

:16:00. > :16:04.an awful start but it's been a wonderful start, Wales are in front.

:16:05. > :16:22.James Chester. That's a good-looking ball, Taylor

:16:23. > :16:32.chasing but team behind for a goal kick. Wales's last warm up didn't go

:16:33. > :16:37.very well, Robbie, the 3-0 defeat in Sweden of which Gareth Bale only

:16:38. > :16:40.played the last 20 minutes or so. But all the friendlies, all the

:16:41. > :17:19.build-up all forgotten. This is what counts.

:17:20. > :17:26.Back to Martin Skrtel under pressure... Not always the most

:17:27. > :17:38.comfortable in possession, Martin Skrtel. Not always the most

:17:39. > :17:50.comfortable with pace. Bouncing off Danny Ward. Look they get

:17:51. > :17:55.uncomfortable there, the goalkeeper, Danny Ward. -- looked a bit

:17:56. > :18:01.uncomfortable. Ashley Williams gave him a pat on the shoulder, saying,

:18:02. > :18:06."Come on son, we will need you at some point in this game". A lack of

:18:07. > :18:12.communication between Captain and the goalkeeper. Wayne Hennessey had

:18:13. > :18:17.a back spasm and so Liverpool's reserve goalkeeper Danny Ward is in

:18:18. > :18:22.goal. He'd had a very good loan spell at Aberdeen this season and

:18:23. > :18:26.was on the bench for Liverpool in the Europa League final. He did play

:18:27. > :18:30.a couple of games towards the end of the season for Jurgen Klopp's side.

:18:31. > :18:52.Well anticipated by Davis. Ramsey back to Davis. Jonny Williams.

:18:53. > :19:00.No pressure being put on the ball by Slovakia.

:19:01. > :19:12.Unlucky, Chris Gunter. They've looked for that ball on a couple of

:19:13. > :19:20.occasions. Joe Allen was successful before. That ball from Ramsey... You

:19:21. > :19:22.see here, a lack of communication. Was it a handball from Ashley

:19:23. > :19:33.Williams? I don't think it was intentional. Yes, it hits Ashley

:19:34. > :19:49.Williams's arm, but I -- it's not a penalty, for me.

:19:50. > :20:02.Positive start from Wales. If Slovakia conceded first, they never

:20:03. > :20:08.won a game, in the qualifying campaign. They have started -- they

:20:09. > :20:13.started the qualifying campaign much stronger than they finished it.

:20:14. > :20:21.Ramsey, now Williams. Edwards. A feud groans from one or two Wales

:20:22. > :20:36.fans as they thought they missed the opportunity to drive forward. Why

:20:37. > :20:44.not? He has looked a bit dodgy in the opening minutes. That is what

:20:45. > :20:49.this Welsh team will make you do, hurry you when they are in

:20:50. > :20:59.possession. Nonstop, great energy. Cutting inside, that Amir Weiss. --

:21:00. > :21:08.Weiss. He is now playing his club football in Qatar, which is coach

:21:09. > :21:11.has pointed out is possibly not the best preparation for a European

:21:12. > :21:18.Championships. He feels he's lost a little bit of fitness. First time

:21:19. > :21:28.we've seen Weiss driving inside. He's got good pace, as has Mak on

:21:29. > :21:40.the other side, but they just haven't been able to get the ball.

:21:41. > :22:03.WHISTLE Fouled by Bale on Kucka. There is

:22:04. > :22:05.Jan Kozak. His son played in the World Cup in 2010 and his grandson

:22:06. > :22:28.is in Tottenham's Academy. Ashley Williams has gone for the

:22:29. > :22:36.ambitious! You can see defensively they are on the front foot. Winning

:22:37. > :22:42.the ball in front of Duris, whether it is Williams, Ben Davies, Chester.

:22:43. > :22:51.There are aggressive in their defending. Hamsik, Kucka looking for

:22:52. > :23:00.the return. Brought down, a free kick to Slovakia. Perhaps a little

:23:01. > :23:06.bit too far out. Here is the foul. When Hamsik gets the ball, he looks

:23:07. > :23:10.a real threat. Should have scored earlier, to be honest. I think this

:23:11. > :23:16.might just be a bit too far out. What is income 40 yards? But why not

:23:17. > :23:25.try and test Danny Ward on his first start for his country? Kucka is

:23:26. > :23:39.going to have a go. And it dipped a bit, but not enough.

:23:40. > :23:49.He has Kuco on his shirt, which is his nickname, but Kucka is the

:23:50. > :23:53.family name. Talk about the man for a big stage, there come a Gareth

:23:54. > :24:03.Bale. Just another day at the office for him now, isn't it? Nothing seems

:24:04. > :24:05.to faze him. It's his 20th international goal in his 55th cap.

:24:06. > :24:33.Can't speak highly enough of him. Lovely touch from Bale. Here's Chris

:24:34. > :25:01.Gunter for Wales. Ramsey arriving. Welsh throw. Well found, Ramsey.

:25:02. > :25:04.Chris Gunter getting a bit of joy down this right-hand side.

:25:05. > :25:08.WHISTLE It curled out of play before it

:25:09. > :25:15.arrived at the back edge of the penalty area. Goalkick. Gareth

:25:16. > :25:20.Bale... Chris Gunter but the ball in the box and Gareth Bale is so good

:25:21. > :25:22.in the air. He got nine goals in the league from headers larcenies and,

:25:23. > :25:32.more than anybody. -- from headers last season. Chris

:25:33. > :25:36.Gunter has started 23 international is on the trot.

:25:37. > :25:54.Joe Allen in quickly, Ramsey. Covering well. Dusan Svento here.

:25:55. > :25:56.Under pressure. Well, there were a few minutes before Gareth Bale's

:25:57. > :26:03.free kick where Slovakia looked extremely dangerous, but since then,

:26:04. > :26:11.Wales have looked in command. When you see Aaron Ramsey who has played

:26:12. > :26:15.for Arsenal and won FA Cups, closing people down, that just sets the

:26:16. > :26:20.tone. If you see Aaron Ramsey doing it, if you are James Chester,

:26:21. > :26:24.Taylor, Davies, you will think, if Aaron Ramsey will going close down,

:26:25. > :26:30.so will I. It sets the tempo for the whole team. Free kick to defend

:26:31. > :27:06.here. For Wales. Davies with the header. Just being

:27:07. > :27:13.caught by Mak. Strong challenge, Taylor flew in. Kucka is down. The

:27:14. > :27:17.referee letting play go on for the moment. Marek Hamsik is still on the

:27:18. > :27:26.floor. He will now be able to get treatment as the ball has been put

:27:27. > :27:32.out of play. This was Taylor. It's quite a bad challenge there, from

:27:33. > :27:36.Taylor. I think Hamsik won the ball first and foremost. The studs are

:27:37. > :27:43.showing there, from Taylor. Quite surprised they showed that challenge

:27:44. > :27:49.on the big screen. Debatable decisions like that, they don't show

:27:50. > :27:56.to the coaches on the big screen, but that was in full view of

:27:57. > :27:58.everybody and Jan Koazk's face told you exactly what he thought of it.

:27:59. > :28:10.But Hamsik is OK. It might be Slovakia's first

:28:11. > :28:16.European Championships finals, but it's worth saying that the

:28:17. > :28:19.Czechoslovakia team which won the European Championships in 1976,

:28:20. > :28:38.their starting 11 in that final included eight Slovaks and three

:28:39. > :28:52.Czechs. Panenka's penalty won it and he was not one of the Slovaks.

:28:53. > :29:03.Just need to get themselves a bit of a foothold, Slovakia, keep

:29:04. > :29:09.possession for a bit. Start enjoying the feel of the football again.

:29:10. > :29:17.Every time the ball goes up to Duris, there is somebody on him, so

:29:18. > :29:24.tight to him. If he loses the ball, Joe Allen or Dave Edwards are tied

:29:25. > :29:28.to him and can win the ball. They will have to try something

:29:29. > :29:36.different, Slovakia, may be put the balls into the channels for Mak or

:29:37. > :29:42.Weiss to run onto. Everything seems to be in defeat and they can't keep

:29:43. > :29:45.the ball. Chris Coleman recently signed a new contract with the FA

:29:46. > :30:00.WSL it's the end of the next World Cup cycle. -- with the FAW.

:30:01. > :30:19.Hamsik working hard. Well, a pretty thankless task for Durica.

:30:20. > :30:30.Don't forget that live commentary of England versus Russia tonight begins

:30:31. > :30:35.at 8pm. Half time in that game, Alan Shearer and Rio Ferdinand will be

:30:36. > :30:39.giving their views on that performance and you can catch the

:30:40. > :31:18.highlights of that on BBC One tonight at 10:35pm.

:31:19. > :31:30.Hamsik, the area he likes to work in, down the side of midfield.

:31:31. > :31:40.Slovakia on the front foot. Hrosovsky in strongly on the Charlie

:31:41. > :31:49.Williams. There could be a card. The first yellow card of the game. I

:31:50. > :31:55.thought Taylor was lucky to get away with the yellow card before.

:31:56. > :32:01.Hrosovsky has won the ball. With his right foot. He has played the ball.

:32:02. > :32:17.I think he is quite fortunate, to be fair.

:32:18. > :32:30.Chester. Williams tries to nick in between. Martin Skrtel bundled into

:32:31. > :32:36.Johnny Williams. The extra official behind the goal almost got taken

:32:37. > :32:42.out, he was that close to it. Martin Skrtel, as he comes across, just

:32:43. > :32:49.watch his right elbow. That's shocking. How has the official not

:32:50. > :32:53.seen that? If you're going to have these extra officials...! They are

:32:54. > :32:58.not just there to watch the game, they are there to contribute

:32:59. > :33:00.decisions. Terrible decision by the referee and more importantly, the

:33:01. > :33:06.man behind the goal, what he's doing, I know. Skrtel makes no

:33:07. > :33:20.attempt to play the ball, tries to get across Johnny Williams and that

:33:21. > :33:23.has to be a penalty. I am just confused about what those officials

:33:24. > :33:32.are going to do. If they are not going to give anything there, why

:33:33. > :33:40.are they here? Ramsey. Ramsey again. The free kick goes against Wales and

:33:41. > :33:55.in favour of Slovakia. Kucka. Getting tasty.

:33:56. > :34:43.They have lost their way, since the goal.

:34:44. > :34:50.Williams has done very well in the opening 33 minutes. Gareth Bale, to

:34:51. > :35:02.Ramsey. Managed to control that, did well. Great ball. Gunter. Gareth

:35:03. > :35:09.Bale wants it back. Chris Gunter. Try to make it to Edwards, but only

:35:10. > :35:15.found Hrosovsky. Against the positivity of this Welsh side, they

:35:16. > :35:20.just couldn't knock it back into the danger area. That is where you need

:35:21. > :35:24.someone like Edwards. Alan and trying to get the second ball. The

:35:25. > :35:30.game great positive play from this Welsh side -- Joe Allen trying to

:35:31. > :35:33.get the second ball, again great positive play from this Welsh side.

:35:34. > :35:59.Chester. Williams, Ramsey. The official behind the goal had to

:36:00. > :36:04.have seen that from Martin Skrtel, no attempt to play the ball and his

:36:05. > :36:08.elbow caught Jonny Williams in the face. And as you say, Jonny Williams

:36:09. > :36:12.has been doing exceptionally well. I think it has to be a penalty and a

:36:13. > :36:23.straight red card and I am not biased. Hamsik. Weiss. Chester. Now

:36:24. > :36:27.Gareth Bale tries to run away from Martin Skrtel, you might have left

:36:28. > :36:36.it a bit too long. He can't find Ramsey. Just does well to find

:36:37. > :36:38.Ramsey. Joe Allen. Ramsey. Taylor tempted forward, Gareth Bale still

:36:39. > :37:00.hugging the far touchline. Edwards has found Taylor. Williams

:37:01. > :37:07.losing out to Pekarik and that will be a free kick in favour of

:37:08. > :37:13.Slovakia. Wenzel of IKEA do win the ball, Duris has three centre halves

:37:14. > :37:24.against him. -- when Slovakia do win the ball. Chris cantor and Taylor

:37:25. > :37:31.are so far forward. It's so difficult for Duris because they are

:37:32. > :37:39.defending so aggressively, Wales. Martin Skrtel sends its long, and

:37:40. > :37:43.Duris ends up conceding a free kick. There you go, Ashley Williams is

:37:44. > :37:48.tight, those based in behind and they get the ball in front so

:37:49. > :37:53.Slovakia are going to have to change things and get Hamsik on the ball as

:37:54. > :38:00.often as they can, maybe get Mak into the game. The game plan is

:38:01. > :38:05.working perfectly. You must say that Dave Edwards has done a great job

:38:06. > :38:13.winning second balls. His energy has been high. A very good 36 minutes

:38:14. > :38:16.for Chris Coleman's men. And Wales almost beat the all Blacks this

:38:17. > :38:32.morning. Beating Slovakia this evening. Davies. Mak is one of the

:38:33. > :38:40.front three. He was in his own half of the field. He has to try to work

:38:41. > :38:49.alone furrow, 50 yards before he gets anywhere near the attacking

:38:50. > :38:56.area. Davis is in opposition and he drops into that back three. It is

:38:57. > :38:58.Edwards's job, if his opponent drops out of position, to drop back out

:38:59. > :39:16.and make a three. Gareth Bale. Allen. Jonny Williams

:39:17. > :39:32.to his left, Joe Allen finds Ramsey. Allen still moving forward. So far,

:39:33. > :39:37.so very good, for Wales. With the exception of one delightful floating

:39:38. > :39:45.ghosting run of Hamsik when it was goalless, looks certain to score

:39:46. > :39:50.apart from a brilliant clearance by Davis. It has been Wales's half

:39:51. > :39:58.apart from that. We now approach the last five minutes of the first half.

:39:59. > :40:05.Duris a game getting very little support from anyone around him. --

:40:06. > :40:11.Duris again getting very little support from anyone around him. He

:40:12. > :40:23.has problems, Jan Kozak, at the moment. We've seen a lot of Slovakia

:40:24. > :40:50.in the course of 2016 and this is the worst I've seen of them. Kucka.

:40:51. > :40:53.If there were butterflies they will have died down a little now for the

:40:54. > :41:43.young Wales goalkeeper, Danny Ward. I'd be interested to hear the views

:41:44. > :41:49.of our studio panel on that Martin Skrtel challenge. The one person who

:41:50. > :41:54.did not seem to think it was a foul was the guy standing nearest to it.

:41:55. > :42:01.Here is Weiss. Accelerating away from Ramsey. Gives it to Hamsik. He

:42:02. > :42:10.could not quite get through the challenge from Taylor. Hrosovsky, to

:42:11. > :42:18.Pekarik. Danger suddenly as it comes to Weiss. He will fit it, will he?

:42:19. > :42:27.Hamsik does Williams blocks. Suddenly is love IKEA find a second

:42:28. > :42:32.wind. Wales and a bit of pressure four minutes before half-time, the

:42:33. > :43:02.good bit of pressure from Slovakia. To the feet of Duris. The striker

:43:03. > :43:08.cannot quite tame it. And Slovakia have a throw in. Just edging towards

:43:09. > :43:37.the Welsh goal, now. Duris helping it on. Got to be

:43:38. > :43:43.careful with those legs, the Welsh defenders, they were, and Danny Ward

:43:44. > :43:51.hazard. But suddenly for the first time in the game, Weiss is a factor.

:43:52. > :43:57.He needs to get the ball. Good feet in the box but so many Welsh bodies

:43:58. > :44:02.are back, protecting Danny Ward, it's a comfortable save for him. No

:44:03. > :44:10.real pressure in this half, just that one chance for Hamsik, as you

:44:11. > :44:18.say, it was the clearance from Davies which allowed Wales to get

:44:19. > :44:20.the goal, but half-time approaching. They are not there yet but they are

:44:21. > :45:03.close. Hrosovsky. Weiss to take the throw. Svento

:45:04. > :45:10.again. Corner. From his love IKEA and point of view, Weiss with the

:45:11. > :45:15.corner, you'll want to get bodies around Ward, with it in, get Martin

:45:16. > :45:32.Skrtel in there, it will be a big test for the Welsh goalkeeper. Weiss

:45:33. > :45:45.with the corner. Mak. Hamsik. That was Martin Skrtel!

:45:46. > :45:55.Am pretty certain he was in an offside... He wasn't, when the ball

:45:56. > :46:02.was played. That linesman on the far side... He just tried to step out,

:46:03. > :46:06.Ashley Williams. Timed his run so well. It was Hamsik on the

:46:07. > :46:10.right-hand side that time cutting inside and ruling the ball to the

:46:11. > :46:16.far post and Skrtel just couldn't reach it. One additional minute.

:46:17. > :46:43.Taylor, for Wales. This is the contentious moment. Do

:46:44. > :47:03.Riga with the header -- Durica with the header. Kucka, to Mak. Davies!

:47:04. > :47:06.Bale! Chance. Look at that, aggressive in their defending.

:47:07. > :47:11.Davies wins the ball and drives forward. He gives the ball to Bale,

:47:12. > :47:15.it was perfectly set for him to whip it with his left foot, as the

:47:16. > :47:24.half-time whistle goes, 1-0 Wales. A really good foot if -- 45 and its

:47:25. > :47:30.four Wales. Matus Kozacik will not be happy with how dealt with it. A

:47:31. > :47:34.very contentious Martin Skrtel challenge on Jonny Williams. One

:47:35. > :47:40.delightful little cameo from Hamsik while it was still 0-0. He's done it

:47:41. > :47:45.once, he could do it again... But at half-time in Bordeaux, Wales 1-0

:47:46. > :47:48.Slovakia. STUDIO

:47:49. > :47:54.So far so good for Wales. The game plan is working, Bale has delivered

:47:55. > :47:59.and Dean Saunders is buzzing! Absolutely brilliant, can't believe

:48:00. > :48:03.we've played that well. Had a bit of a scare early on, great clearance

:48:04. > :48:07.from then and then Gareth Bale from the free kick. But in general play I

:48:08. > :48:12.think we deserved to be winning. I think they've all done great. We

:48:13. > :48:15.look like a team. Handling the pressure really well, Rio?

:48:16. > :48:19.Definitely, you can see the unity between the side, the number of caps

:48:20. > :48:22.they've got between them, they seem really comfortable playing with each

:48:23. > :48:27.other. They've got here through the camaraderie between the team, the

:48:28. > :48:31.unity they've created. They look like they're playing a normal game.

:48:32. > :48:35.Doesn't look like they're faced with the atmosphere. What's pleasing is

:48:36. > :48:38.to see the likes of Jonny Williams, Ramsey, Bale and Edwards all passing

:48:39. > :48:43.the ball comfortably with each other. They can play the ball wide

:48:44. > :48:48.when they need to get out of trouble. How impressed have you

:48:49. > :48:51.been, Alan? Very, don't think you can be anything but impressed. Apart

:48:52. > :48:55.from the first couple of minutes when Hamsik at that opportunity,

:48:56. > :48:59.Wales have been of slippy brilliant. They've done everything asked of

:49:00. > :49:03.them. They've played so tight, not given Slovakia any space. The early

:49:04. > :49:07.scare you talked about when Hamsik went through, what a sensational bit

:49:08. > :49:12.of defending from Ben Davies. Firstly the skill from Hamsik was

:49:13. > :49:16.tremendous. Gareth Bale started the game by giving the ball away twice

:49:17. > :49:22.in a couple of seconds really! But they win the ball back here, Bale

:49:23. > :49:28.gives it away... And then Hamsik here, beautiful feet. He sends three

:49:29. > :49:31.or four of them... But then Ben Davies, this is the art of

:49:32. > :49:35.defending, never giving up, always feeling you're going to have some

:49:36. > :49:40.influence. Then with his weaker foot, he clears off the line, which

:49:41. > :49:44.is very difficult. Hamsik can do no more, other than put it in the back

:49:45. > :49:48.of the net. That is the equivalent of scoring a goal, from Davis. And

:49:49. > :49:52.then Gareth Bale steps up. The goalkeeper may be at fault, but he

:49:53. > :49:58.won't care at all! You're right, the goalkeeper makes an absolute mess of

:49:59. > :50:03.it. We looked at free kicks that Wales have had an Gareth Bale have

:50:04. > :50:09.had, that was against Israel, that was against Andorra, both to the

:50:10. > :50:14.goalkeeper's side, and he tries to cheat here, he goes to the

:50:15. > :50:18.goalkeeper's side too early. I have to give credit to Gareth Bale,

:50:19. > :50:24.because he's put the other two that side, I think he thinks the keeper

:50:25. > :50:27.thinks he will go there. It's a good striker, absolutely. Wales

:50:28. > :50:34.thoroughly deserve that. When I was playing, I hated seeing Nicky keeper

:50:35. > :50:42.gamble -- the keeper gamble and try and make a yard. What about those

:50:43. > :50:46.celebrations! Team spirit! All together there, Dean. That's a

:50:47. > :50:50.brilliant shot, they should show that forever! It shows how everyone

:50:51. > :50:54.in the squad, the lads who aren't playing, all the backroom staff, how

:50:55. > :51:01.excited they are and how together they are as a group. You can watch

:51:02. > :51:06.the clip back all night! What I'm most pleased about, I think the

:51:07. > :51:08.manager has got it spot on. The tactics have been perfect. Instead

:51:09. > :51:12.of trying to play through this team who have been solid, they've worked

:51:13. > :51:17.it out early that the way to get around this system is to hit long,

:51:18. > :51:20.diagonal balls. Not try and play through the middle while you're

:51:21. > :51:25.getting counter-attacked. Chris Gunter has been on the ball more

:51:26. > :51:30.than anybody. First, Wales should have had a penalty, shouldn't they?

:51:31. > :51:37.It was a blatant elbow, wasn't it? Red card, penalty, 100%. Why doesn't

:51:38. > :51:43.the official give this? He's actually two yards away from that!

:51:44. > :51:48.He's looking at him. This is like WWE, I'd take my kids to watch this!

:51:49. > :51:53.I was talking to Kevin Friend about this and I asked him if the extra

:51:54. > :51:58.officials have an influence and he said yes, they talk to you as the

:51:59. > :52:01.game is going on. One of them gave a penalty last night in the France

:52:02. > :52:04.game. I think he's watching the ball and he's not actually watching the

:52:05. > :52:09.players. He must have missed it because it was so blatant. Wales

:52:10. > :52:13.really hard done by there. We've got a note of examples about how Wales

:52:14. > :52:17.are switching play tactically. Because Chris Coleman would have

:52:18. > :52:21.looked at it and not direct centre forwards, they're just coming off

:52:22. > :52:23.the centre halves and the two full-backs are pushing so far

:52:24. > :52:27.forward and that's always an outlet for them. What Slovakia want you to

:52:28. > :52:33.do, they want you to probe all through the middle so they can hit

:52:34. > :52:37.you on the bench. Wales are not doing that, they are spreading the

:52:38. > :52:41.play. The two wingbacks are really wide and giving them with. This ball

:52:42. > :52:45.comes to Gareth Bale who again finds the full-back as an outlet again and

:52:46. > :52:50.has been said, that has been on a lot of the times, that is one

:52:51. > :52:55.full-back crossing it in and a wingback in the box there. Wales did

:52:56. > :52:59.that brilliantly for 45 minutes. What will happen now, their manager

:53:00. > :53:04.is going to say we cannot keep letting Chris Gunter and Neil Taylor

:53:05. > :53:07.put these balls in, so the wide players will start playing a bit

:53:08. > :53:12.wider, then Wales can go through the middle. You expect Chris Coleman to

:53:13. > :53:15.be saying that? Yes, they can't expect Chris Gunter to keep crossing

:53:16. > :53:18.balls from the byline, you get over there and the minute the midfield

:53:19. > :53:22.player spread, play through them. The first thing he will be saying to

:53:23. > :53:26.them as they come out for the second half is, don't concede. Don't give

:53:27. > :53:34.them any time and let them get their confidence up. Keep them at bay. So

:53:35. > :53:36.far so good for Wales. As for England, they kick off their

:53:37. > :53:39.campaign in a couple of hours. Russia the opposition. We can now

:53:40. > :53:44.hear from Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson.

:53:45. > :53:54.Jordan. When you injured your knee in April, tell me about the emotions

:53:55. > :53:58.that you feared, that this summer might not happen? Yeah, I was

:53:59. > :54:02.obviously very disappointed. I'd been through quite a lot this season

:54:03. > :54:06.already, so to suffer another injury which was pretty bad as well was

:54:07. > :54:14.hard to take. I was still quite positive throughout because I knew

:54:15. > :54:18.if I work as hard as I could, I could get back in time. I had to

:54:19. > :54:22.prove my fitness but the manager gave us every chance to do that. I

:54:23. > :54:25.feel I'm in a good place now and hopefully can contribute to the

:54:26. > :54:30.team. Your third major tournament, at 25, you're kind of like a senior

:54:31. > :54:37.player now! Yeah, it doesn't really feel like it, I still feel quite

:54:38. > :54:40.young but a lot of the lads in the squad have sunk with experience from

:54:41. > :54:43.the last two tournaments. I think we could have done a lot better in both

:54:44. > :54:47.but I think hopefully this could be the one that we could do well in.

:54:48. > :54:50.Let's talk about the opening game because you also experienced opening

:54:51. > :54:55.games in major tournaments a couple of times. How do you see it now?

:54:56. > :54:58.Every game is important but the first one, it's just important to

:54:59. > :55:04.get off to a good start and give everyone the confidence and leave

:55:05. > :55:07.everything on the field. If we do that I'm positive we can get a good

:55:08. > :55:10.result. At the same time you can't be naive and just look at Russia,

:55:11. > :55:13.you have to look at the clips and the way they've played, watching

:55:14. > :55:19.games. What have you learned? I can't be telling you our secrets! We

:55:20. > :55:23.know what they are good at and what they're not good at on the pitch,

:55:24. > :55:26.but I can't tell you those. England have had a view different

:55:27. > :55:31.formations, different personnel. Roy Hodgson has an issue trying to get

:55:32. > :55:34.everyone fit. Is that what it's like on the inside? It's obviously

:55:35. > :55:38.difficult for a manager to pick 11 out of 23 but that's always the

:55:39. > :55:46.case. Especially with the talent we got in the group. Do you know now

:55:47. > :55:56.the way your setup on Saturday? Yes. Yep. I think we can play the same

:55:57. > :56:01.way but with different formations. We can play well whichever formation

:56:02. > :56:09.the manager chooses. And you can see highlights of the game on BBC One at

:56:10. > :56:14.10:35pm. Alan and Rio will be offering instant analysis of the

:56:15. > :56:19.match on the Facebook page at half-time. To live matches tomorrow,

:56:20. > :56:25.world champions Germany take on Ukraine in Group C. Before that,

:56:26. > :56:31.Northern Ireland play Poland in Nice. Wigan striker Will Grigg the

:56:32. > :56:35.unlikely name on every one plus lips going into the game.

:56:36. > :56:48.You know what happens next... Will Grigg's on fire... Your defence is

:56:49. > :56:55.terrified... Will Grigg's on fire! What do you put your great

:56:56. > :56:59.goal-scoring form down to? My aim at Wigan was to score 20 plus goals and

:57:00. > :57:02.I managed to do it. I couldn't put my finger on the actual thing that

:57:03. > :57:08.we had a good side and I created -- we created a lot of chances. How is

:57:09. > :57:14.the whole mood within the Northern Ireland squad? Is it one of

:57:15. > :57:19.excitement or one of trepidation? I think at the moment it is pure

:57:20. > :57:22.excitement. We've proved in the campaign that one of the reasons we

:57:23. > :57:27.are successful is because we've got such a tight knit group and good

:57:28. > :57:32.team spirit. As soon as we meet up, the boys bond well together. We're

:57:33. > :57:37.looking forward to it. How much stick have they giving you about

:57:38. > :57:45.this song? # Will Grigg's on fire

:57:46. > :57:52.# Your defence is terrified # Will Grigg's on fire! I didn't

:57:53. > :57:59.think it would be so big! You know, it's been nice. The fans have done

:58:00. > :58:04.well with it. I think the timing helped and when the fans are singing

:58:05. > :58:07.it for 89 minutes of every single game, it gives you an extra boost.

:58:08. > :58:12.So yeah, it's been brilliant. LAUGHTER

:58:13. > :58:20.No thank you, I've heard enough of it! A little rendition in the

:58:21. > :58:24.studio? Nah! Back to today and Jason is with John Hartson in Bordeaux. We

:58:25. > :58:29.said at the start of this tournament that Gareth Bale would be the

:58:30. > :58:33.difference and so it proved, John? Absolutely, it was the right

:58:34. > :58:38.distance for him, that free kick, 30 yards out and nobody 's was taking

:58:39. > :58:45.that! He's hit it with such hip and precision, the way these football 's

:58:46. > :58:49.move, people might question the goalkeeper's positioning but not for

:58:50. > :58:52.me. It has dipped so much and beaten him on his bottom right hand side,

:58:53. > :58:56.the goalkeeper has no chance. Hit with some power as well. Aaron

:58:57. > :59:00.Ramsey has been terrific in this first half, especially on the ball,

:59:01. > :59:06.John. He's covered every blade of grass. Him and Joe Allen have been

:59:07. > :59:10.fantastic. Also without the ball, the workrate that the Welsh players

:59:11. > :59:15.have put in, there's no way through. The. They have a threat in Hamsik

:59:16. > :59:19.but that's about it. There centre forward Duris, all he's done is foul

:59:20. > :59:23.and give the ball away. I wouldn't be surprised if they take him off.

:59:24. > :59:27.The fans have been utterly incredible as well. A nerve wracking

:59:28. > :59:33.second-half ahead. It has been an agonising wait but here it is,

:59:34. > :59:44.Slovakia the opposition and these are the proudest Welshman you can

:59:45. > :59:47.imagine. Hamsik! Unbelievable! Bale, for Wales! Wales 1-0 Slovakia! He's

:59:48. > :00:00.done it again! That is shocking. Well, as John Hartson said, the

:00:01. > :00:05.keeper had absolutely no chance with that one. Quick quiz question, has

:00:06. > :00:08.to go to you, Dean, that Gareth Bale was the first in a major

:00:09. > :00:25.championship for Wales since who, in 1958? Cor... Terry Medwyn? Spot on!

:00:26. > :00:29.You win the star prize. There's always a danger that you drop off a

:00:30. > :00:32.bit? I don't think they've got any back-up plan. I think we've just got

:00:33. > :00:37.to keep 11 men on the page, don't give them a goal, don't beat

:00:38. > :00:40.yourself and make them score goal. I think we will get another one. The

:00:41. > :00:43.midfielders have to continue what they have been doing. Control the

:00:44. > :00:47.pace of the game. When it gets too tight in the central areas, use your

:00:48. > :00:52.full banks as your get out. Keep feeding them the ball and giving

:00:53. > :00:56.yourself time to get up. I think the back three have to stay compact and

:00:57. > :00:58.in control of those midfield is in front of them. The great thing about

:00:59. > :01:02.leading in a match like this is that the other team has depressed at some

:01:03. > :01:04.stage and a counterattack is always a possibility. Which should suit

:01:05. > :01:14.Gareth Bale down to the ground. Chris Coleman will say to his

:01:15. > :01:19.players, you are in this position because of togetherness, do not

:01:20. > :01:23.change a thing. You are right, Slovakia will have to chase the

:01:24. > :01:28.game, which hopefully will give Ramsey a bit more space and give

:01:29. > :01:33.Gareth Bale a bit more space. Also you have to manage the physical side

:01:34. > :01:37.of the game, new for the Welsh team. You have to manage that. Hopefully

:01:38. > :01:40.it will be a long tournament for them, they will get through the

:01:41. > :01:44.group stages so don't run yourself into the ground. Control the

:01:45. > :01:50.physical and mental state and it will see a further in the

:01:51. > :01:54.tournament. Gareth Bale's gold that leads the way for Wales, they are

:01:55. > :02:01.leading 1-0 at half-time, if they can hold on it will give them a real

:02:02. > :02:04.boost against England. We've just got to control the game, keep the

:02:05. > :02:10.ball. They look as if they are on the brink of getting a man sent off,

:02:11. > :02:13.really frustrated. They've got to keep passing the ball, do what

:02:14. > :02:20.you've been doing, it's been brilliant. Exactly, right, let's see

:02:21. > :02:25.what transpires in the second half with Robbie Savage and Steve will

:02:26. > :02:39.Thank you, no substitutions from either manager. The free kick is the

:02:40. > :02:46.difference between them. Wales have been much the better side in the

:02:47. > :02:57.first half. Wales to get the second half under way. Terry made the goal

:02:58. > :03:01.in 1958, Wales and hungry finished with exactly the same record in

:03:02. > :03:05.their group and hearts to have a play-off to decide who went to the

:03:06. > :03:23.quarterfinal. Wales won and were beaten by Brazil in Sweden. Ramsey.

:03:24. > :03:30.These few moments import and at the start of this half. I think Chris

:03:31. > :03:35.Coleman will have said, same game boys, you were full of energy and

:03:36. > :03:40.aggressive in defending and they played so high, and at left, as the

:03:41. > :03:46.boys said at half-time. It was a really confident performance in that

:03:47. > :03:59.first half from Wales. James Chester.

:04:00. > :04:13.Jonny Williams, just behind Ramsey, which was a shame, Gunter was there.

:04:14. > :04:31.Getting it back to Jonny Williams. Joe Allen, for Wales.

:04:32. > :04:51.That run again. According to the referee, Ramsey just pulled his

:04:52. > :04:55.opponent's shirt. Let's have a look. Ramsey is pointing to the official

:04:56. > :05:00.behind the goal again. The whistle didn't go, they played on and Ramsey

:05:01. > :05:09.has won the ball. If the referee gives it for about first one, fair

:05:10. > :05:12.enough, but to give the foul, this is why I think he gives a foul but I

:05:13. > :05:40.don't think it was. Hamsik. Durica. Gareth Bale, back to Ramsey. Jonny

:05:41. > :05:52.Williams is alongside them. Just catches Martin Skrtel, there.

:05:53. > :05:59.Ramsey is not the only player at this tournament to have gone blonde,

:06:00. > :06:02.so has Marouane Fellaini! You can see Belgium versus Italy on the BBC

:06:03. > :06:18.on Monday. An interesting look for him.

:06:19. > :06:24.Duris offside. You've got to have some sympathy with him in that first

:06:25. > :06:28.off, he had three defenders against him, the balls to him or not very

:06:29. > :06:33.good and he was scrapping for everything. Playing against three

:06:34. > :06:46.centre halves is very tough. Pekarik. That was from an offside

:06:47. > :07:17.position. Free kick is given from the position

:07:18. > :07:21.in which the player touches the ball. The free kick given for

:07:22. > :07:33.offside in the player's own half as he came back from the opposition

:07:34. > :07:44.half. Crisco Skudder with the throwing, for Wales. -- Chris

:07:45. > :07:49.Kanter. -- Gunter. That is what the fear of not knowing exactly where

:07:50. > :07:53.Gareth Bale is can do to you! I think that Durica lost his bearings

:07:54. > :08:01.and was not sure where Gareth Bale was. Ramsey goes to take it,

:08:02. > :08:12.thousands of travelling Wales fans, great support. Just need a good

:08:13. > :08:14.delivery. The corner, well taken. Kozacik did really well. The corner

:08:15. > :08:33.had floated behind the goal. His movement for the goal wasn't

:08:34. > :08:38.good, if the keeper had stayed where he was he would probably have

:08:39. > :08:45.courted. Poor goalkeeping, that is as confident as he has looked,

:08:46. > :08:50.Kozacik. They do have big tournament experience, ten of their squad were

:08:51. > :08:56.in South Africa at the World Cup. Confidence from Danny Ward in the

:08:57. > :09:02.Wales goal. Just two halves of football for his country before

:09:03. > :09:06.today, he came on at half-time in a game against Northern Ireland in

:09:07. > :09:14.Cardiff and likewise in the defeat against Sweden. Giving his

:09:15. > :09:22.goalkeeper around of applause, pointing to him, good play from

:09:23. > :09:27.Danny Ward. Martin Skrtel. It came off Edwards. It will be a survived

:09:28. > :09:32.in throw. At that World Cup Slovakia started with a draw against New

:09:33. > :09:35.Zealand and then a defeat to Paraguay but they then beat Italy

:09:36. > :09:44.and went through to the second round, where they lost to the

:09:45. > :09:51.Netherlands. A decent ball, Duris could not take it with him. Duris is

:09:52. > :09:57.making his runs into the channels, but there's no player from Slovakia

:09:58. > :10:07.so he can't get forward. They keep breaking down in the final third.

:10:08. > :10:14.Jonny Williams. Most Jonny Williams away. And then Kucka came back and

:10:15. > :10:18.caught Jonny Williams and that's a free kick for Wales and I think

:10:19. > :10:24.they'll be talking to the Slovakian midfielder. I think they will be a

:10:25. > :10:29.word. His 12th cap today, Jonny Williams. He has been really good.

:10:30. > :10:33.Chris Coleman, putting Edwards and Jonny Williams into the team has

:10:34. > :10:43.paid off. Great composure. Going past players. Jonny Williams can be

:10:44. > :10:48.pleased with his performance so far. He has now featured in all of

:10:49. > :10:58.Wales's last six International 's, Jonny Williams.

:10:59. > :11:17.Skrtel getting across. Like a game of Twister! Left foot on the green

:11:18. > :11:41.Square, right arm on the red triangle!

:11:42. > :11:53.Davies. So important, that goal line clearance early in the game. Gareth

:11:54. > :11:57.Bale, running into Hamsik. He lives and about the end of the first half,

:11:58. > :12:05.he has started the second half more quietly which is good for Wales.

:12:06. > :12:16.What an athlete Gunter is. He is at and down all evening. He is up and

:12:17. > :12:27.down all evening. He has played over 50 games... A lovely ball, that is

:12:28. > :12:31.Mak! Alarm bells were ringing. Ashley Williams at the top of the

:12:32. > :12:38.picture tries to play-off side. Taylor goes with the run although

:12:39. > :12:42.with his favoured foot it might be difficult to score from there. But

:12:43. > :12:47.the warning sign for Wales. Playing really well. -- fatties warning sign

:12:48. > :13:02.for Wales. Smack that is a warning sign for

:13:03. > :13:08.Wales. Taylor, to Ramsey. They test for Martin Skrtel. An edge in the

:13:09. > :13:14.back, the referee acknowledges it but play on. Kozacik hazard. When

:13:15. > :13:20.Gareth Bale drops deep it is Ramsey making the run forward, trying to

:13:21. > :13:26.get past the centre forward. Compare that to Slovakia. If Duris drops all

:13:27. > :13:40.goes out wide business body behind him. Well it happened once, -- there

:13:41. > :13:58.is nobody behind him. Weiss accelerating away from Davies. A

:13:59. > :14:03.lovely flick from Ramsey. Gunter. A little heavy, Durica with the

:14:04. > :14:07.intervention, for Slovakia. They have not lost any of their last

:14:08. > :14:12.eight international matches since losing a qualifier against Belarus.

:14:13. > :14:29.A little worry for Wales, Edwards coming here. -- Edwards, here. He's

:14:30. > :14:50.going to run that off, I think. A little blood on the knee.

:14:51. > :15:00.Studs on the kneecap will hurt. He jumps and powers that into the

:15:01. > :15:10.ground. So dangerous in the air, Gareth Bale. A good save by Kozacik.

:15:11. > :15:35.He just scored his 20th goal in international football.

:15:36. > :15:41.Durica. He has the throw. A slightly uncomfortable moment for the

:15:42. > :16:02.centre-half. It's a foul. Jonny Williams seems to

:16:03. > :16:07.be all over the place at the minute. People say it's a tackle from

:16:08. > :16:13.behind. As we see Gareth Bale's chance was not look at Bale, from a

:16:14. > :16:29.standing start, he leaps and towers over the right full-back. Good save

:16:30. > :16:36.cousin -- Matus Kozacik. Weiss moved a bit more central for Slovakia.

:16:37. > :16:43.Went down assuming a free kick. Never assume. Hamsik went down,

:16:44. > :16:47.should have been a free kick to Slovakia in a dangerous area.

:16:48. > :16:54.There's going to be a changed, Michal Duris, the centre forward for

:16:55. > :17:18.Slovakia, is coming off, and he's going to be replaced by Adam Nemec,

:17:19. > :17:27.who plays in Holland. Double change, Patrik Hrosovsky as calm off and the

:17:28. > :17:36.Legia Warsaw player has replaced him. Two changes for Slovakia, who

:17:37. > :17:53.trail by Gareth Bale's free kick to nil.

:17:54. > :18:19.Still... Now the chance! And the equalising goal! Duda, who has only

:18:20. > :18:28.been on the pitch for a matter of seconds, has equalised for Slovakia.

:18:29. > :18:38.Ondrej Duda with the goal. Wales 1-1 Slovakia. Out of nothing. Well, what

:18:39. > :18:47.a substitution. Ramsey gets brushed off. The ball across, beats Ashley

:18:48. > :18:53.Williams. Ben Davies can't stop him. Great run, great desire. Duda just

:18:54. > :18:57.let it roll across his body, great play. He fainted to hit it with his

:18:58. > :19:02.right foot, let it run across his body. There, great little play. And

:19:03. > :19:16.then he puts it in the bottom corner. Great finish, great run from

:19:17. > :19:21.Mak, 1-1. We are right in saying that Ondrej Duda has just scored in

:19:22. > :19:32.his first -- with his first touch in his first game for his country. And

:19:33. > :19:47.it is 1-1. -- his first game in an international tournament. Danger now

:19:48. > :19:51.for the Welsh. Weiss, Kucka goes on, the referee has given the free kick.

:19:52. > :20:01.The game has changed, Robbie. Great run from Weiss. Foul from Edwards,

:20:02. > :20:09.yes he played the ball but after he brought Weiss down. Already in the

:20:10. > :20:15.second-half Mak has created a goal and Weiss is more dynamic. Danger

:20:16. > :20:23.signs for Wales. Well, I hope Ashley Williams is OK. He's got up

:20:24. > :20:33.extremely gingerly. Hamsik or Weiss are going to hit this.

:20:34. > :20:51.Who's it to be? It is Weiss... It's over. Ashley Williams has got a

:20:52. > :20:59.problem. James Collins is suddenly warming up with some urgency down on

:21:00. > :21:07.this near touchline for Wales. It would be a huge blow to lose their

:21:08. > :21:14.skipper, their leader. The Slovakian fans now going mad in the goal away

:21:15. > :21:20.to our right. They've not been great today, Slovakia, but they are a tiny

:21:21. > :21:26.football team -- eight tidy football team. They will be a threat against

:21:27. > :21:35.Wales over the next. On a knife edge again, when it had had seemed so

:21:36. > :21:39.comfortable. Mak... He's made a difference, second-half. Here he is

:21:40. > :21:43.again with another foraging runs are trying to get through Davies will

:21:44. > :21:49.stop goalkick. But his willingness to get forward in the second half

:21:50. > :21:56.has made the difference, Robert Mak. Certainly livened up. Here is the

:21:57. > :22:00.save, there we are. Just confirming. Going back to the goal, Steve, if

:22:01. > :22:05.you were being cynical, maybe the should have brought that man down at

:22:06. > :22:10.the start of the move. It's the way he let the ball run across his body,

:22:11. > :22:17.it boxed the three centre halves, and then the skill and the awareness

:22:18. > :22:25.to hit it reverse across himself to the bottom corner. Suddenly worrying

:22:26. > :22:31.times for Wales. Kucka hits it, Danny Ward! Just as well James

:22:32. > :22:35.Chester was there. Wales are on the back foot for the first time in the

:22:36. > :22:40.game. Slovakia in their faces and that their throats. They have a

:22:41. > :22:49.corner. Marek Hamsik. Comfortable for Ward. With these balls that

:22:50. > :22:53.moving the air is so much... It was a good job James Chester was there

:22:54. > :22:56.to clear the danger. Worrying signs for Chris Coleman and his men.

:22:57. > :23:13.Ashley Williams is moving more smoothly. Durica with the header,

:23:14. > :23:18.climbing above Bale. Weiss forward. Looking for Mak.

:23:19. > :23:28.This could be a really, really tense last 25 minutes now. Taylor. It

:23:29. > :23:33.might be a time for fresh legs, whether it's Ledley or Andy King in

:23:34. > :23:37.the middle of the park. Edwards has done well this afternoon but maybe a

:23:38. > :23:45.bit more experience, with Ledley, or King coming on to shake-up that

:23:46. > :23:54.midfield a bit. A good stage of the game for the Slovakian side. Their

:23:55. > :24:07.best so far. Matus Kozacik forward. Suddenly Wales can't get the ball.

:24:08. > :24:14.Duda, Mak, and again. Joe Ledley is going to be coming on for Wales any

:24:15. > :24:23.minute. Weiss, to Mak. Can't quite get it back into the path of Robert

:24:24. > :24:33.Mak. Joe Ledley, who was injured in that Crystal Palace game on the 7th

:24:34. > :24:44.of May. He fractured his fibula in the game against Stoke. Peter

:24:45. > :24:51.Pekarik, deflected off Taylor. Edwards helps him out. Taylor to

:24:52. > :24:56.clip it away, but every ball is coming back now. No out ball for

:24:57. > :25:01.Wales. This is where you might possibly think somebody like a Sam

:25:02. > :25:12.Vokes just to be that physical presence up there, drop in a bit

:25:13. > :25:16.deeper behind Bale. All Robson-Kanu to run the channels. It's going to

:25:17. > :25:42.be a double change for Wales. Good call, that. Well taken by Mak,

:25:43. > :25:46.well hit! Just too much from Robert Mak. Now a chance for Wales to make

:25:47. > :25:54.those twos of the juices. Two players who Chris Coleman -- two

:25:55. > :25:58.substitutions. Two players who Chris Coleman has been sweating on the

:25:59. > :26:12.fitness of. Hal Robson-Kanu and Joe Ledley are coming on. Dave Edwards

:26:13. > :26:16.is certainly coming off. He has that experience in the middle of the

:26:17. > :26:21.park, Ledley. Ledley is there just to shore things up and settle things

:26:22. > :26:40.down. Ramsey is the other change. Hal Robson-Kanu coming on. "You

:26:41. > :26:46.Sure?" , says Aaron Ramsey. I think he's helped the wrong number up, the

:26:47. > :26:51.official. I can't see him taking off Aaron Ramsey at this stage of the

:26:52. > :26:59.game, with his experience. Robson-Kanu waits. Chester forward.

:27:00. > :27:06.The Slovakian left-back with the header, Marek Hamsik... Oh! Skrtel

:27:07. > :27:20.blocked him off as he was chasing. Not afraid to take a risk, is he,

:27:21. > :27:25.Martin Skrtel? Well, he shouldn't be on the park, for that challenge in

:27:26. > :27:28.the first half. He should have been sent off with a straight red and

:27:29. > :27:37.Wales should have had a penalty. But he wasn't. Robert Mak, a good ball

:27:38. > :27:39.into Weiss. Taylor away but it hasn't really done the job. Here's

:27:40. > :27:56.Hamsik. Chris Gunter has put it out. It will

:27:57. > :28:02.be a Slovakian throw. Now Wales can make the change. It's not Aaron

:28:03. > :28:09.Ramsey! It's Jonny Williams. Yeah, good change from manager Chris

:28:10. > :28:14.Coleman there. What Robson-Kanu will do is run the channels can he's

:28:15. > :28:19.athletic. He will chase lost causes. Jonny Williams, I have to say, very,

:28:20. > :28:25.very good performance. His 12th cap today, coming into the side. He can

:28:26. > :28:28.be really pleased with his afternoon's work. He will get a

:28:29. > :28:36.standing ovation from Chris Coleman. Well, he is standing up anyway! Hal

:28:37. > :28:48.Robson-Kanu comes onto the field for the last 20 minutes.

:28:49. > :28:54.A slice, Slovakia with the throw in. Don't forget that in World Cup

:28:55. > :29:06.qualifying Slovakia are in the same group as both England and Scotland.

:29:07. > :29:17.Duda, the man who scored the goal. Ledley's header. Taylor. Panicking a

:29:18. > :29:18.little bit here, Wales. They can't get out. One or two misplaced

:29:19. > :29:39.passes. Bail, -- They just need the experienced

:29:40. > :29:44.players, Bale, Williams, Ramsey to lead and take charge here. It was

:29:45. > :29:47.just one moment, the Mak run and the Duda Dole and it has changed the

:29:48. > :29:59.game completely in Slovakia's favour. Jan Durica forward. They've

:30:00. > :30:03.got to change the balance of this game, Wales, otherwise there is a

:30:04. > :30:17.clear and present danger they can lose it. Chris Gunter. Bale...

:30:18. > :30:24.Hamsik got an important touch. Great workrate from Hamsik there. He's

:30:25. > :30:27.great going forward but just showing the defensive side of his game,

:30:28. > :30:35.willing to get back and help his side. Just watch this, look at this!

:30:36. > :30:38.OK, Gareth Bale does make a meal of it, but Skrtel has got no eyes on

:30:39. > :30:46.the ball whatsoever, he's just looking at Gareth Bale. Robson-Kanu!

:30:47. > :30:53.Ramsey in the middle, Bale arriving, Joe Ledley too, Ramsey!

:30:54. > :31:08.Close! What an opportunity. Robson-Kanu, he whips in comedy and

:31:09. > :31:17.Ramsey jumped just a little too early? What an opportunity. I think

:31:18. > :31:22.he just jumps slightly too early, what an opportunity, that should

:31:23. > :31:31.have been 2-1 in favour of Wales. Fans of hands and heads. Great ball

:31:32. > :31:41.in from Robson-Kanu. Wales need to be alive. Svento. -- the fans with

:31:42. > :31:53.their hands in their heads. That was well anticipated by Joe Allen. Now

:31:54. > :32:05.can they break? Robson-Kanu. Ramsey. Ramsey's ball in. Went to close to

:32:06. > :32:09.Kozacik. It could be doing- wrong end to end stuff for the last 15

:32:10. > :32:40.minutes. Here is Greenfinity for Slovakia. Svento.

:32:41. > :32:47.-- he came on at a good time, the substitute, because he is getting

:32:48. > :32:54.the kind of support that Duris did not have. To be fair to Adam Nemec,

:32:55. > :33:01.he has brought people into play. He is a more physical presence. He had

:33:02. > :33:04.more space because the Wales back three have dropped off because they

:33:05. > :33:11.are panicking a little and that has allowed him to get on the ball. He

:33:12. > :33:25.hasn't scored a club goal in almost two years. Joe Ledley, to Gareth

:33:26. > :33:35.Bale. Just too strong for Joe Ledley.

:33:36. > :33:45.If you are a striker who doesn't score a goal for two years, either

:33:46. > :34:17.you are not a very good striker or you don't play for very good clubs!

:34:18. > :34:30.WELSH FANS SING WELSH NATIONAL ANTHEM.

:34:31. > :34:49.Chester has done exceptionally well today in that back three. That was

:34:50. > :35:05.well dealt with by Martin Skrtel who has gone down hard. Cramp.

:35:06. > :35:22.Gareth Bale. Did an -- did Hamsik handle it? Wales also. Mak running

:35:23. > :35:31.into Allen. Heavy contact. Wales have the free kick. Mak has the

:35:32. > :35:38.yellow card. He did well in the second half, creating a goal, being

:35:39. > :35:44.more positive, Mak. A little lucky to get a yellow card there, I think.

:35:45. > :35:51.An opportunity now for Ramsey to whip the ball into a dangerous area.

:35:52. > :35:58.We know that Gareth Bale is great in the air. He just needs a good

:35:59. > :36:08.delivery on his right foot. Paige Ramsey, to deliver. Kozacik with a

:36:09. > :36:15.good punch. Positive keeping from Kozacik. He made a good save from

:36:16. > :36:28.Gareth Bale early in this second half. A good punch away. Another

:36:29. > :36:39.free kick. Durica, on Robson-Kanu. He has done very well, Robson-Kanu,

:36:40. > :36:48.since he came on. Gareth Bale, surely not.

:36:49. > :37:03.I would say maybe not 45 yards but 35 yards. I wasn't good at maths!

:37:04. > :37:15.You do is apprise me! -- you do surprise me! Gareth Bale to take it.

:37:16. > :37:20.And Kozacik, this time, held his position and the ball ended up in

:37:21. > :37:24.his midriff. If he had still not in the first half and might have gone

:37:25. > :37:33.there. He learned his lesson from the first half and didn't move,

:37:34. > :37:45.comfortable save. The referee is going to get his card and again. It

:37:46. > :37:54.is going to be a third yellow card for Slovakia, Hrosovsky in the first

:37:55. > :38:13.half, and now Jonny Williams. Wales have ridden it out.

:38:14. > :38:35.Chester. Joe Ledley. It's a good ball. Ramsey, Robson-Kanu! It is! --

:38:36. > :38:48.it is in the! Hal Robson-Kanu, for Wales! Another substitute, another

:38:49. > :39:00.goal, Wales are back in front with ten minutes to play! Absolutely

:39:01. > :39:04.fantastic ball. He makes it past Martin Skrtel and then Robson-Kanu,

:39:05. > :39:14.on his left foot, it goes between the legs of Durica. Look at Ramsey,

:39:15. > :39:19.in a great position. Durica cannot get there, he scuffs the shot,

:39:20. > :39:26.Robson-Kanu but who cares? It's in the net. Wales, 2-1. Look at the

:39:27. > :39:39.contact. The left shin, it doesn't matter. Shin and in. Wales, 2-1.

:39:40. > :39:44.Robson-Kanu has been brilliant since he has come on. Great introduction

:39:45. > :39:51.by Chris Coleman. Both managers have used their substitutes so very well

:39:52. > :40:03.today. Accent that one, Robson-Kanu, off his gym, who cares. -- but, that

:40:04. > :40:11.one, Robson can you, of his shin. It's a foul by Kucka on Gareth Bale.

:40:12. > :40:12.I think he will be the fourth Slovakian player to end up in the

:40:13. > :40:40.referee's notebook. The little foul. There's going to be a third

:40:41. > :40:54.Slovakian change. Weiss is going off.

:40:55. > :41:06.Stoch is coming on. No, cannot Wales hold this lead for what remains, in

:41:07. > :41:10.Bordeaux? Slovakia got the equaliser, Wales have ridden out the

:41:11. > :41:17.storm and ridden back into the game. Ramsey could have scored with a

:41:18. > :41:17.header, and hopefully from the Welsh perspective, Robson-Kanu has the

:41:18. > :41:37.winner. The referee did not have a good view

:41:38. > :41:44.of that incident. It is given away, rather poorly, by Kucka. Taylor

:41:45. > :41:54.forward. Gareth Bale, that was a marvellous ball. That might have

:41:55. > :42:07.been something very special. Here is Mak, for Slovakia. Good work from

:42:08. > :42:12.the Welsh goalkeeper, Ward. What a ball from Gareth Bale, of his left

:42:13. > :42:20.foot. A good run from Ramsey, just couldn't gather it. Taylor thought

:42:21. > :42:41.that he was fouled. Slightly unconvincing fall to the ground.

:42:42. > :42:48.Stoch top scored for the Republic of Ireland in Dublin in a game that

:42:49. > :43:14.finished 2-2. Wales will be hoping this doesn't go the same way. Kucka.

:43:15. > :43:32.Duda. And Adam Lallana has hit the post! -- Adam Nemec has hit the

:43:33. > :43:36.post! That was close. A great header, he hadn't scored in two

:43:37. > :43:41.years, as is they, but that was great. Right at the post. I think he

:43:42. > :43:56.was beating the keeper. A bit of luck for Wales. Martin Skrtel.

:43:57. > :44:19.Pekarik. Skrtel. Out by Gunter. Mak can lay it up for Duda. Gareth Bale.

:44:20. > :44:23.Ramsey is to his left and he may not need him, he is running at Durica

:44:24. > :44:37.comic he has fed Ramsey, can Ramsey finish it? Gareth Bale. Durica. A

:44:38. > :44:45.corner, for Wales. I think Ramsey had it on his right foot. We will

:44:46. > :44:50.see the header from Adam Nemec that hit the post. Going back to Gareth

:44:51. > :44:51.Bale's chance, you see him getting across, Williams. The keeper beating

:44:52. > :45:04.him. Think Ramsey has diluted first time

:45:05. > :45:07.on his right foot. - Ramsey has two hit it first time on his right foot.

:45:08. > :45:12.Wales have a corner, Ramsey will take it.

:45:13. > :45:36.WHISTLE Last substitution, Aaron Ramsey is

:45:37. > :45:47.coming off this time. Jazz Richards is coming on. Performed very well,

:45:48. > :45:55.Aaron Ramsey, gets a standing ovation from the Welsh fans. Great

:45:56. > :45:58.second goal. Maybe could have shot there, but he has been very

:45:59. > :46:07.influential in this Welsh team today. Good performance, Aaron

:46:08. > :46:24.Ramsey. Two minutes to get through, plus added time.

:46:25. > :46:49.Pekarik, found space. Clever ball through to Mak. Good defending, well

:46:50. > :46:51.read. Ashley Williams comes across and sees the danger, dealt with it

:46:52. > :47:11.well. Jan Durica Slovakia. Up towards Adam

:47:12. > :47:16.Nemec, who hit the post moments ago. Here is Bale, two on two. Hal

:47:17. > :47:30.Robson-Kanu the other. Bale! Bale again, maybe. Pushing for that

:47:31. > :47:34.equaliser, Slovakia, leaving gaps. Now to opportunities for Wales to

:47:35. > :47:39.kill this game off. Will they pay for these missed chances? -- two

:47:40. > :47:46.opportunities. Miroslav Stoch has continued his run and here he is.

:47:47. > :47:48.Six in this attack in blue. In from Hamsik to the back post, out by

:47:49. > :47:59.Chris Gunter! Wild from Robert Mak. 'S first header of the afternoon

:48:00. > :48:04.there, got to head the ball back out wide and not to the danger area.

:48:05. > :48:14.He's got to head the ball out wide, not back into the danger area, where

:48:15. > :48:18.it fell to Mak's left foot and smashed it from a Wales perspective

:48:19. > :48:24.thankfully high over the bar. The number is four minutes into added

:48:25. > :48:27.time. Minimum of four minutes added time. Not to say, what an enjoyable

:48:28. > :48:38.game. End-to-end stuff at time. The -- Slovakia have come back into the

:48:39. > :48:39.game well. On the whole I think Wales have just about deserved the

:48:40. > :49:02.2-1 lead. Can they create one last

:49:03. > :49:08.opportunity, Slovakia? Martin Skrtel. Marek Hamsik.

:49:09. > :49:19.Hamsik is lurking. Kucka... CHEERING

:49:20. > :49:33.Good challenged by Davies. Which way is that throw going? First

:49:34. > :49:38.he's got to deal with Martin Skrtel, and Martin Skrtel gets a yellow

:49:39. > :49:43.card. Like we saw, Ben Davies, brilliant first challenge, really

:49:44. > :49:50.and second challenge and Skrtel flies in, ridiculously. He shouldn't

:49:51. > :49:55.be on the pitch anyway, he should have been sent off in the first

:49:56. > :50:00.half. Just watch this, the challenge from Ben Davies was fair, committed.

:50:01. > :50:17.Look at Skrtel flying in there. Contact is not necessary.

:50:18. > :50:42.It has used up some of those four minutes. Davies.

:50:43. > :51:05.Skrtel to Pekarik. Play on, says the referee, after Ledley fouled Duda.

:51:06. > :51:08.Bale's header. The referee has had a look at the watch on his left wrist.

:51:09. > :51:17.He has the whistle in his right hand. It goes long for Jan Durica

:51:18. > :51:20.and that might just do it. It might just do it! 40 seconds of the added

:51:21. > :51:49.time to play. Kucka. Have another look at your

:51:50. > :51:54.watch, refs! Hamsik forward, too hi, he's offside anyway. It's going to

:51:55. > :51:58.be a free kick to Wales for offside against Adam Nemec. Four minutes

:51:59. > :52:04.indicated and the four minutes are up now. You cannot speak highly

:52:05. > :52:11.enough of this Wales team. They were under pressure when it was 1-1.

:52:12. > :52:16.Hopefully they have got the winning goal. I think when Danny Ward clears

:52:17. > :52:20.this, the referee will blow his whistle.

:52:21. > :52:36.CHEERING And the party will begin! 58 years

:52:37. > :52:45.of waiting! 58 years and victory in their first game back on the big

:52:46. > :52:52.stage. Hal Robson-Kanu with the winning goal. Gareth Bale set them

:52:53. > :52:58.on their way. And although Andre Duda equalised for Slovakia, who

:52:59. > :53:05.then had a very good spell, Wales have won. -- Ondrej Duda. And you've

:53:06. > :53:09.got to give Chris Coleman massive credit. He resisted the temptation

:53:10. > :53:19.to play the three people carrying knocks. He left out Ledley and it

:53:20. > :53:22.was Ramsey's pass the Hal Robson-Kanu to get the winning goal.

:53:23. > :53:27.Each and every one of those players in a red shirt have been absolutely

:53:28. > :53:30.unbelievable. What a team, what a performance. And now, Steve, the

:53:31. > :53:36.pressure goes on England against Russia. A new bit of history and

:53:37. > :53:41.Welsh sport, not just Welsh football, Welsh sport. Wales 2-1

:53:42. > :53:43.Slovakia. STUDIO

:53:44. > :53:47.And well might Gareth Bale celebrate. It has been a long wait

:53:48. > :53:53.but boy, it has been worth it for this Welsh team. Three points in the

:53:54. > :53:58.bag and Wales are up and running, with a crucial victory and a real

:53:59. > :54:03.team performance there. They were brilliant. They had to dig deep in

:54:04. > :54:09.that second half. We were quick to praise Didier Deschamps last night

:54:10. > :54:14.when he took Antoine Griezmann and Paul Pogba off, but credit to Chris

:54:15. > :54:20.Coleman tonight because he had to change it because the game was

:54:21. > :54:24.flowing against him. His substitutions worked a treat. Yes

:54:25. > :54:29.their backs were against the wall but they came out on top and didn't

:54:30. > :54:33.give up. What an unbelievable team spirit they worked hard and they

:54:34. > :54:40.deserved to get that win. I think it shows you what a bit of harmony

:54:41. > :54:43.does, it gives you that belief. The players come on knowing they've got

:54:44. > :54:47.a job to do. Sometimes when people are left out their heads go down,

:54:48. > :54:52.but these guys are a real tight knit squad and they're going to be hard

:54:53. > :54:56.to beat, these guys. Dean, very exciting, very tense last few

:54:57. > :55:00.minutes. Magnificent result for you and your country. What a win.

:55:01. > :55:06.They've been brilliant all afternoon. Like you were saying, the

:55:07. > :55:12.manager has got everything right. Even when it turned against us, the

:55:13. > :55:16.manager has changed it, pushed three up top and they've started coming at

:55:17. > :55:20.us a bit and at 1-1 I thought we were going to lose the game. We

:55:21. > :55:24.could have lost the game right there. We got our composure, Joe

:55:25. > :55:30.Ledley came on and Robson-Kanu has won us the game a tremendous! Great

:55:31. > :55:36.scenes there, Wales fans enjoying every moment of this. We can win it!

:55:37. > :55:40.LAUGHTER Stranger things have happened in the

:55:41. > :55:43.European Championships. There was a moment when you thought it was

:55:44. > :55:46.slipping away, they've regained their composure and they got an

:55:47. > :55:52.opportunity at the other end and put it away. They could have even gone

:55:53. > :55:56.3-1 up. There you go Dean, top of the group! They deserve it. We put

:55:57. > :55:59.so much into the first half. There were some players there who missed a

:56:00. > :56:07.bit of training, Joe Allen one, out on their feet. Some of their players

:56:08. > :56:12.had cramp, a view? There. Questions asked in the second half because Jan

:56:13. > :56:15.Kozak changed it, the coach of Slovakia and put another two

:56:16. > :56:19.forwards up there because that is what they were lacking in the first

:56:20. > :56:22.half. They had one guy up there and the ball was constantly coming off

:56:23. > :56:28.him and going back. He put three up and said get support into the centre

:56:29. > :56:32.forward, Adam Nemec. Duda came on and scored with his first touch.

:56:33. > :56:35.They were asking some serious questions of Wales, but Chris

:56:36. > :56:39.Coleman had the guts and he changed it as he had to, I think, and it

:56:40. > :56:44.worked an absolute treat for them. He changed it and it worked. Shall

:56:45. > :56:48.we indulge ourselves and have a look at this goal? The winning goal,

:56:49. > :56:53.vital. This stems from the diagonal ball. They pushed players forward

:56:54. > :56:56.because they are 1-0 down, there's gaps through the middle of the

:56:57. > :57:02.pitch, Joe Ledley comes on as sub and blaze a great ball to Aaron

:57:03. > :57:07.Ramsey and what a strike from Hal Robson-Kanu... Who cares when it

:57:08. > :57:14.hits the target! He has read it and if you keep getting the ball... It

:57:15. > :57:18.doesn't matter when you scuff it, if the luck is review, if you scuff it

:57:19. > :57:22.or it goes through his legs, great, doesn't matter. That's what Centre

:57:23. > :57:26.forwards are there to do, come on and score goals. It's Chris's

:57:27. > :57:30.tactics because they are hitting balls and threatening them and they

:57:31. > :57:39.opened the midfield up and Aaron Ramsey went through the midfield and

:57:40. > :57:43.they threatened the goal. The fact that they equalised as well,

:57:44. > :57:49.Slovakia, it shows you what great character Wales showed coming back

:57:50. > :57:54.from that. Goals change games and they changed the course of this

:57:55. > :57:58.game, first half. I thought Ramsey maybe should have brought him down.

:57:59. > :58:03.It's a great run and the way he lets the ball run across his body is

:58:04. > :58:06.beautiful. Plays it back across himself. But all of a sudden they've

:58:07. > :58:09.now got three bodies in the box when there attacking Slovakia. They

:58:10. > :58:15.didn't have that first half because the coach changed it and he wanted

:58:16. > :58:19.his substitutes to make an impact. The first 15 minutes of the first

:58:20. > :58:23.half, the Wales midfield, it was too easy for them to thread balls

:58:24. > :58:26.through to their strikers and get turned and faced the back three of

:58:27. > :58:32.Wales. That's something they're going to need to work on in the

:58:33. > :58:36.debrief tomorrow. That goal by Duda was the first goal scored against

:58:37. > :58:45.Wales in a major tournament since 1958. The last player to score

:58:46. > :58:51.against them was a certain Mr Pele, so not bad company he is in! Let's

:58:52. > :58:56.hear from one of Wales's biggest stars, Gareth Bale. Can you sum up

:58:57. > :59:01.how you feel? This Welsh fairy tale just keeps going. It was like a home

:59:02. > :59:04.game today! Our fans are the best in the world and they fully got behind

:59:05. > :59:08.us tonight and gave us something -- we gave them some thing to

:59:09. > :59:12.celebrate. With the red dragon on your chest here in a major

:59:13. > :59:16.tournament, where does that goal rank? Definitely right up there. An

:59:17. > :59:20.historic moment for our country and the most important thing is that it

:59:21. > :59:23.doesn't matter about the goals or whatever but we got the three points

:59:24. > :59:28.and we gave our fans something to cheer. I know you're a very close

:59:29. > :59:33.group and Hal Robson-Kanu has had a difficult summer, no club at the

:59:34. > :59:37.moment, what a moment for him and for you all. Yes, as I said, Hal

:59:38. > :59:40.Robson-Kanu to get the winner, the substitutes came on and made an

:59:41. > :59:44.impact and he was amazing when he came on. It's a squad game, we all

:59:45. > :59:48.know that, everyone has their part to play and we will keep fighting.

:59:49. > :59:53.England next, it just keeps going on, much more to come from you guys?

:59:54. > :00:01.Definitely, we're taking it one game as it comes but we're not thinking

:00:02. > :00:04.about this game any more, it's on to England. We've done the first part,

:00:05. > :00:10.two more to go, and we will keep fighting on. Here's an interesting

:00:11. > :00:13.stat for you, chaps. The first British team to win their opening

:00:14. > :00:19.game ever in the European Championships! You've got to get

:00:20. > :00:22.points on the board. We used to just say get a draw... That's the way we

:00:23. > :00:26.used to work it! LAUGHTER

:00:27. > :00:31.But seriously, get points on the board early on because everyone is a

:00:32. > :00:35.bit apprehensive before the first game. Once you've done that you can

:00:36. > :00:38.become a bit more confident and go for things. They will be a lot more

:00:39. > :00:41.relaxed once they play against England. It puts the pressure on

:00:42. > :00:46.England now in the first game, they've got to get a win. The

:00:47. > :00:50.manager has asked them to do a job tonight, Wales. Ask them to go and

:00:51. > :00:53.put a performance, when the pressure is on them. Every single one of

:00:54. > :00:56.those players will be proud of their performance because everything

:00:57. > :01:01.they've tried has worked perfectly for them, I think. Here's another

:01:02. > :01:04.stat, Gareth Bale's free kick was the first door directly by a British

:01:05. > :01:10.player ever in the European Championships! There you go. Worth

:01:11. > :01:15.seeing again. -- first scored directly. You can show players DVDs

:01:16. > :01:21.and maybe they've shown him Gareth Bale's DVDs and he has gambled. I

:01:22. > :01:25.know Joe Hart said he has no chance but it's the opposite, he has to

:01:26. > :01:30.save this! I'm not a keeper but surely you wait for the ball to come

:01:31. > :01:35.over the wall before you decide which way to go. He's gambled too

:01:36. > :01:40.much. Four steps, too late. He's trying to anticipate the ball going

:01:41. > :01:44.to his left. If it goes over the wall and into the top left hand

:01:45. > :01:47.corner, the goalkeeper should stick his hand up and say great ability, I

:01:48. > :01:52.couldn't get there. But he's gambled and he's failed. Like Dean said

:01:53. > :01:57.before, it's not just the players, it's all the staff on the bench and

:01:58. > :02:02.all the subs all giving it some. It shows you when people say players

:02:03. > :02:06.don't care any more. Gareth Bale is not playing for money. You're not

:02:07. > :02:10.getting played to pay out there. -- paid to play out there. He just

:02:11. > :02:11.loves playing for Wales. I'm delighted. Orders and that three

:02:12. > :02:22.points might be enough. Hearts in our mouths with the header

:02:23. > :02:28.towards the end of the game. They were pushing forward in numbers into

:02:29. > :02:34.the box. Two in there, three in there, good movement, he checks his

:02:35. > :02:41.stride, appealing for handball, hits the post. They rode their luck a

:02:42. > :02:45.little but they deserved it. That is what you should do, put your arm

:02:46. > :02:50.across people and get in front of them, very, very good. Wales had

:02:51. > :02:54.other chances, it wasn't just Slovakia putting on the pressure,

:02:55. > :03:02.towards the end of the game they had opportunities in the second half.

:03:03. > :03:08.They all looked very accomplished in what they were doing. This is great

:03:09. > :03:14.athleticism from Gareth Bale. Brushing off the defender. Another

:03:15. > :03:22.day he might have put that away. He's had five strikes at goal today,

:03:23. > :03:31.Gareth He does in every game. Great work from Robson-Kanu, it's just

:03:32. > :03:36.that Ramsey goes to early. All of us was screaming, go, this is your

:03:37. > :03:39.moment, Gareth Bale, halfway line, loads of grass, he passes it and

:03:40. > :03:54.Ramsey should have hit that first time. He did that to me at Old

:03:55. > :03:58.Trafford, why didn't he do it there! He rose all over the pitch, and

:03:59. > :04:07.unbelievable clearance from Ben Davies, worth seeing again. They

:04:08. > :04:11.will be showing this years, if we go further in this tournament they will

:04:12. > :04:17.show this the years. He showed why he gets goals at the highest level

:04:18. > :04:23.as well. It's a brilliant fake way he goes to shoot with his right foot

:04:24. > :04:28.and he beats three men. This is summed up Wales, giving everything

:04:29. > :04:35.for the cause. I know it was early in the game but that epitomised the

:04:36. > :04:44.performance. He's lucky that he can get his feet together. That was as

:04:45. > :04:51.good as a goal. A mention for the goalkeeper. If we had lost today, we

:04:52. > :04:56.could have said it was because we lost our keeper before the game that

:04:57. > :05:01.he did well, Danny Ward. We can hear from the matchwinner himself,

:05:02. > :05:08.Robson-Kanu. What a moment, talk me through that winning goal. Rambo has

:05:09. > :05:12.done great and opens in space and I managed to direct the ball into the

:05:13. > :05:17.corner. Not the best finish but the finish nevertheless it and we were

:05:18. > :05:21.delighted. What a job for you, you are looking for a club and to score

:05:22. > :05:25.a winning goal in a major championship is not about advert!

:05:26. > :05:28.It's not something I'm thinking about now, we'll sit down at the end

:05:29. > :05:32.of the tournament and make a decision. Today is about the nation

:05:33. > :05:39.and this competition and hopefully we can do the nation proud again. As

:05:40. > :05:45.we have today. Next, England, one to savour, you'll have put pressure on

:05:46. > :05:52.them today. The focus is definitely on us. We've done the job today. It

:05:53. > :06:00.is our next game and we will be fully focused on that. Well done.

:06:01. > :06:03.Thank you. Given the way the tournament has spread its wings with

:06:04. > :06:09.two teams going through plus third and fourth place that is but Wales

:06:10. > :06:13.on a fabulous position, they are almost there already, and they? Not

:06:14. > :06:17.only that, it gives them believe that they belong at this level.

:06:18. > :06:22.They've got the confidence to get results. Make no bones about it,

:06:23. > :06:25.they deserve it, because of their workrate, their efforts, their

:06:26. > :06:29.commitment, and their good play. They played some very, very good

:06:30. > :06:39.football. You mentioned Joe Allen is one of the heroes committee is here.

:06:40. > :06:41.Joe, congratulations, Man of the Match, how please don't you with

:06:42. > :06:46.your performance? Never mind my performance, the team, they were

:06:47. > :06:50.brilliant. To go out, get pegged back, for a spell we were against

:06:51. > :06:54.the ropes, we dug deep like we always do, this is what the team is

:06:55. > :07:00.all about, digging and grinding. When we got the second goal with a

:07:01. > :07:08.confident we could hold onto it. High energy, high tempo performance.

:07:09. > :07:13.Was it what Chris Coleman wanted at the start, to take the game to

:07:14. > :07:18.Slovakia? He wanted the same approach as we had in qualifying,

:07:19. > :07:24.understanding that we have to work hard off the ball, everyone has to

:07:25. > :07:28.put a shift in, we are a massive threat because we have players like

:07:29. > :07:34.Gareth Bale and Ramsey, and Jonny Williams, coming on, we know that we

:07:35. > :07:37.can hurt teams, this is the type of performance that our fans have come

:07:38. > :07:42.to expect from us and we must go into the next games with the same

:07:43. > :07:45.mindset. You mention the fans come incredible support, three quarters

:07:46. > :07:51.of the stadium was read, how much did they carry you through? From the

:07:52. > :07:58.start they were fully behind us, even that spell where Slovakia was

:07:59. > :08:02.basically on top of us our fans stayed loud. Created a fantastic

:08:03. > :08:07.atmosphere and I think that helps, that helps get that extra 5%, 10%,

:08:08. > :08:12.and of the lads, that makes all the difference. This is a huge statement

:08:13. > :08:17.to the other teams in the group, what's the plan now, go forward and

:08:18. > :08:26.play the same way? Yes, I think so. The message was, if we lose we are

:08:27. > :08:31.not out of the tournament, if we are winning, we are through. This is one

:08:32. > :08:36.of those ticked off. The best case scenario. Our focus now is to make

:08:37. > :08:41.sure that complacency doesn't set in, in our preparations for the next

:08:42. > :08:45.game. Thank you, Joe, congratulations. Before we move on

:08:46. > :08:50.and look at other games including the England game, one final word,

:08:51. > :08:53.some up what this means, the importance, the significance, the

:08:54. > :09:00.achievement Wales have done by winning this? Number one, it has

:09:01. > :09:07.given us believe because a few players will have been nervous, but

:09:08. > :09:10.it did not really matter how we played as long as we got three

:09:11. > :09:16.points, and I think that will be enough to get out of the group. It

:09:17. > :09:19.could well be. We will see. Onto the England football team shortly but

:09:20. > :09:25.we've had more disturbing reports of trouble in Marseille this afternoon.

:09:26. > :09:30.Let's get an update from the BBC sport editor. Sad to report, more

:09:31. > :09:35.violent scenes in the old harbour area of Marseille. A third day of

:09:36. > :09:42.violence involving England fans. More and more Russian and England

:09:43. > :09:46.fans have come to the city and the violence has ratcheted up a little

:09:47. > :09:50.and there have been injuries involving England fans including one

:09:51. > :09:54.serious injury. Thousands of Russian fans have arrived, and in some

:09:55. > :09:58.instances there have been quite well organised gangs of Russian hooligans

:09:59. > :10:04.taking on England's supporters, scenes of bloodied fans having to

:10:05. > :10:09.receive emergency treatment on the streets of Marseille. It was always

:10:10. > :10:13.seen by the authorities as a height risk fixture because of memories of

:10:14. > :10:17.mighty 98 when England last played in the World Cup in France, against

:10:18. > :10:23.Tunisia and England fans rampaged them. The reputation of England

:10:24. > :10:26.supporters has improved dramatically but sadly the scenes this week will

:10:27. > :10:33.do nothing for their reputation going forward. No indeed. In

:10:34. > :10:37.contrast, it has been a relatively calm build up for England this week

:10:38. > :10:41.at their base in Chantilly just north of Paris, they've travelled to

:10:42. > :10:47.Marseille with no major injury worries. We can take a look at the

:10:48. > :10:54.team that Roy has selected to start tonight. Joe Hart is in goal, of

:10:55. > :11:00.course. The Spurs full-back skywalker and the rows either side

:11:01. > :11:03.of Gary Cahill and Chris Smalling. Eric Dier anchors midfield with Dele

:11:04. > :11:08.Alli and Rooney slightly ahead of him. Harry Kane is the spearhead

:11:09. > :11:16.with Raheem Sterling and Adam Lallana in support. What do you make

:11:17. > :11:20.of that, Alan Shearer? The big question that needs to be answered

:11:21. > :11:25.is how we will get the best out of Rooney. Don't be surprised if you

:11:26. > :11:29.see him going a little further back and getting the ball off Eric Dier

:11:30. > :11:33.so he can spray midfield passes which will allow Dele Alli to get

:11:34. > :11:40.through and perhaps play in the No ten role and make his runs past

:11:41. > :11:47.Harry Kane. Muggy I am interesting to see how Raheem Sterling does.

:11:48. > :11:52.He's a talented player. Get him high and wired, taking people on, and

:11:53. > :11:57.Harry Kane getting chances and putting them away. This is great for

:11:58. > :12:03.these guys, great stage, young players, young squad, very exciting.

:12:04. > :12:08.Let's get a view from pitch side. Martin, we have just seen that the

:12:09. > :12:11.team, are you happy with the way Roy Hodgson has said the team up, will

:12:12. > :12:18.this allow the attacking play we've seen from players like Dele Alli and

:12:19. > :12:22.Harry Kane? Without a doubt. You've got Dele Alli on one side and Rooney

:12:23. > :12:27.on the other, it's a perfect position. You could play Rooney off

:12:28. > :12:33.the front. This way allows both Dele Alli and Rooney to switch in. I

:12:34. > :12:38.think it's better for the system. Let's not forget the full-backs. We

:12:39. > :12:45.expect Rose and Kyle Walker to fly forward. They will have got would

:12:46. > :12:50.that Wales has topped the group, will they be able to put that out of

:12:51. > :12:54.their mind and impress Russia in the way they need to? You've got to be

:12:55. > :12:59.professional and concentrate on what is ahead. It does put Wales in a

:13:00. > :13:07.strong position but win your game, that is all that England can do

:13:08. > :13:14.tonight. Thank you, Martin. We have given our view on Wales, it is only

:13:15. > :13:20.fair that you give your son England. Noel Jamie Vardy, that's an lucky,

:13:21. > :13:23.he's played and I am and in previous games, he's obviously experimenting,

:13:24. > :13:35.if you play Jamie Vardy upfront and must play with wide players to get

:13:36. > :13:41.the best from him, and that team is Jonny Williams. You were a central

:13:42. > :13:49.defender yourself, do you share those concerns -- that team is

:13:50. > :13:56.4-3-3. Partnership hasn't been formed. To be authoritative you need

:13:57. > :14:00.to play alongside people and form relationships and this hasn't

:14:01. > :14:04.happened in this England team which is why I was championing playing

:14:05. > :14:09.John Stones because it is not like you are breaking up a partnership,

:14:10. > :14:14.there isn't one there. Cahill is there, solid and experienced, he's

:14:15. > :14:20.gone for experience at the back and I can and the sound that. A young

:14:21. > :14:23.side, which is positive in many ways although you could also say that

:14:24. > :14:29.there's not that much experience. They have to play without any fear.

:14:30. > :14:33.Yes, we keep saying, we're piling pressure on these young guys,

:14:34. > :14:37.perhaps we do but they must be able to handle that. Wales have proved

:14:38. > :14:43.they can handle out in their first game. Now it's over to you guys. --

:14:44. > :14:48.Wales can handle that. Now it is their moment, can they produce and

:14:49. > :14:53.when it matters? Will see that shortly. Highlights later. I think

:14:54. > :14:57.the final word should go to Chris Coleman. Your friends again made

:14:58. > :15:02.history, first match in the European Championships, and a first win. I

:15:03. > :15:07.think it is probably my proudest moment, when we came out. Our

:15:08. > :15:13.supporters, they just keep on top in what they've done and the support

:15:14. > :15:16.today was unbelievable. And in the second half when Slovakia got the

:15:17. > :15:21.equaliser, they were looking strong, they were very physical, good team,

:15:22. > :15:25.played well, and the fans sensed that we looked a bit jaded and we

:15:26. > :15:29.were sitting back a bit but we came again and the fans got right behind

:15:30. > :15:35.us and our borrows showed incredible passion and a lot of courage to come

:15:36. > :15:42.back -- our borrows. Incredible attitude and mentality. The game had

:15:43. > :15:46.everything, girls, quite visible, the atmosphere was electric,

:15:47. > :15:51.incredible afternoon -- it had goals. You had Gareth Bale playing

:15:52. > :15:54.for one of the biggest clubs in the world and Hal Robson-Kanu at the

:15:55. > :16:03.moment and attached. It shows that this squad is not just player squad.

:16:04. > :16:06.-- not just a one player squad. When you have one of the best in the

:16:07. > :16:11.world people will talk about him and we don't mind that. When you have

:16:12. > :16:15.Zouma Allan Ramsey, I don't know any better midfielders than him, he is a

:16:16. > :16:19.great player, when you have somebody like Aaron Ramsey we cannot stop

:16:20. > :16:24.people talking about them and they deserve that but the boys appreciate

:16:25. > :16:30.what is behind them, and one does not come with the other, we cannot

:16:31. > :16:33.do without them but they will tell you it doesn't happen without the

:16:34. > :16:35.rest of the guys around them either so it is very much a team thing. We

:16:36. > :16:50.went together and lose together. Historic day for Wales. A historic

:16:51. > :16:56.day for Northern Ireland tomorrow in the first of two live matches. World

:16:57. > :17:02.champions Germany take on Ukraine, also on BBC. Before then, highlights

:17:03. > :17:09.of England against Russia tonight on 10:35pm. Alan and Rio will be

:17:10. > :17:13.offering instant analysis on the Match of the Day Facebook page at

:17:14. > :17:33.half-time in that game. Meanwhile, another big event is drawing near.

:17:34. > :17:40.I think the Welsh fans were making just about as much noise as they

:17:41. > :17:45.make in Glastonbury, that's for sure! Sensational day for Wales.

:17:46. > :17:49.We're just about out of time, so Alan Shearer thank you very much,

:17:50. > :17:55.Rio Ferdinand, see you both later for the highlights. That's it from

:17:56. > :18:01.us. Robson-Kanu the hero. Two great footballing names, one vital goal,

:18:02. > :18:06.three massive points for Wales. Thank you very much, goodbye. And 80

:18:07. > :18:13.it's been an absolutely agonising wait, but here it is. Slovakia the

:18:14. > :18:21.opposition, and these are the proudest Welshman you can imagine.

:18:22. > :18:35.Oh! Unbelievable! Wales 1-0 Slovakia! He's done it again!

:18:36. > :18:51.That is shocking! Here is Mak, and now the chance, Duda, and the

:18:52. > :18:56.equalising goal! Aaron Ramsey with the ball, Robson-Kanu! 58 years of

:18:57. > :18:59.waiting!