Wales vs Slovakia match report: Hal Robson-Kanu's late strike seals historic win at Euro 2016

Wales 2 Slovakia 1

Robson-Kanu scored nine minutes from time to seal victory (Getty)

The four minutes of added time were agony, as wave after wave of blue shirts bore down on the goal of rookie ‘keeper Danny Ward, but after 58 years’ waiting it was never going to be easy for Wales. Then the final whistle went and a roar of relief and joy rolled down from the red-shirted stands onto the pitch where the Real Madrid superstar, and blokes who spent last season on loan at MK Dons, on the bench at West Brom, or fighting relegation with Fulham, celebrated together.

Gareth Bale - who else? - scored Wales’ first goal but the world’s most expensive player was isolated for much of this match and this was not a ‘Bales 2, Slovakia 1’ scoreline. There was resilience and tenacity all around, particularly fine displays from the MK Dons loanee Jonny Williams and Nottingham Forest full-back Chris Gunter, and a mature one from Ward, suddenly handed his full debut in the most daunting of circumstances.

Bale’s tenth-minute free-kick seemed set to launch a fairytale start but Slovakia rallied to level just after the hour through Ondrej Duda then threatened to go on and win the game. Chris Coleman acted decisively, introducing Joe Ledley, five weeks after breaking his leg, and Hal Robson Kanu from the bench. A lucky 13 minutes later Ledley began a move that ended with Robson-Kanu squirting his shot inside the post to restore Wales’ lead. This time, they held on.

In contrast to the scenes from Marseille, Welsh and Slovak fans had been drinking happily and heavily together in Bordeaux, both sides seemingly simply thrilled to be here, at their first European Championships. Amid a sea of red shirts was spotted a cardboard dragon and a Chris Coleman lookalike, complete with wig and suit.

The real Coleman had less inclination to levity pre-match after a forced change in goal. Wayne Hennessey is understood to have suffered a back injury forcing Coleman to give Ward his first start and competitive bow. The 22-year-old Liverpool reserve is only Hennessey’s understudy because West Brom ‘keeper Boaz Myhill quit the international set-up in 2014, presumably disenchanted with life on the bench.

Bale celebrated his opening goal with the Wales bench (Getty)

But in football disappointment for one player usually means opportunity for another and this was Ward’s. The North Walian did not make his senior debut until 15 months ago, when he played for Morecambe on loan. He was loaned to Aberdeen last season impressing to the extent he won an international debut in March, as a substitute. A month later he made his Liverpool debut but this was still only his 31st senior match.

His first touch was nearly to pick the ball out of the back of the net. Bale was not the only talismanic star on the turf. Three minutes into the game his counterpart, Marek Hamsik, robbed Bale, slalomed into the box sidestepping a trio of loose challenges, and steered the ball past Ward only for Ben Davies to clear off the line.

The value of that block was soon evident. Seven minutes later Patrik Hrosovsky carelessly tripped Williams about 25m from goal. As Bale stepped up the massed ranks in red held their breath. Seconds later they let out a roar of delight as Bale sent a dipping free-kick over the wall and under the flailing Matus Kozacik. It was Wales’ first goal in a major tournament since Tottenham’s Terry Medwin 58 years earlier and Bale’s celebration with this team-mates and management showed how much it meant to all of them.

Bouyed Wales began to exert a measure of control but rarely threatened a second. Gradually Slovakia come back into the game and Neil Taylor was fortunate not to be booked for a rash studs-up challenge on the influential Hamsik. At the other end Martin Skrtel also had reason to be grateful for the Norwegian referee’s leniency as he held off Williams in the penalty area with an elbow. Given this was under the fifth official’s nose it was another incident to make one wonder what the point of them is.

Skrtel has made a fine career of being a menace in both boxes and two minutes before the break, with Slovakia pressing, almost got on the end of a beautifully flighted cross from Hamsik.

Duda was smothered by his team-mates after levelling for Slovakia (Getty)

Wales were relieved to get the interval still ahead but Slovakia kept the pressure on after the break with Robert Mak to the fore. Having shot over from distance the PAOK striker burst past Aaron Ramsey and David Edwards before squaring to Duda, newly introduced as substitute. As Ashley Williams scrambled to close Duda down he tucked a shot past Ward.

With Slovakia looking more likely winners Coleman introduced fresh legs. The move paid off. Ledley fed Ramsey who stumbled, inadvertently wrong-footing Skrtel, before finding Robson-Kanu. The Reading forward scuffed his shot catching out Kozacik who could not prevent the ball rolling gently into goal. The margin was tight - another sub, Adam Nemec, headed against the post with five minutes left - but Wales meet England on Thursday with three points in the bag.

Wales: Ward; Chester, Williams, Davies; Gunter, Allen, Edwards, Taylor; Williams, Ramsey; Bale.

Substitutes: Ledley (Edwards 68), Robson-Kanu (Williams, 71), Richards (Ramsey, 88).

Slovakia: Kozacik; Pekarik, Skrtel, Durica, Svento; Kucha, Hrosovsky; Mak, Hamsik, Weiss; Duris.

Substitutes: Duda (Hrosovsky, 60) Nemec (Duris, 60), Stoch (Weiss 83).

Referee: S Oddvar Moen (Norway)

Man of the match: Williams

Match rating: 7