Wales picked up an impressive win over Turkey in their second group game on Wednesday thanks to goals from Ramsey and Roberts.
The Dragons came out on top in an evenly contested game that saw both goalkeepers make good saves. Gareth Bale starred in the game, supplying the assists his teammates scored despite him missing a penalty.
The win means that they have now taken four points in the group and should be able to secure a place in the knockout round with a draw in their next match if Switzerland fails to beat Italy later in the day.
With the game played in Baku, where many Turkey supporters filled the stadium, it felt like a home game for Turkey, who were expected to do better than their opponents. But it was the ‘visitors’ who began aggressively, forcing Cakir in the Turkey goal to a smart save in the 6th minute.
However, after missing a few chances to score, Aaron Ramsey opened the scores for Wales with a 42nd-minute strike after a sublime ball from Gareth Bale.
The Real Madrid man then had an opportunity to double his side’s lead from the penalty spot in the 61st minute after being fouled in the box. But he lost his composure when it mattered the most, sending his spot-kick high over the bar.
But the miss didn’t cost his side the game, with defender Connor Roberts timing his run into the box in the 95th minute to convert Bale’s cross and seal the win for Wales.
We look at three talking points from the game.
Bale and Ramsey led from front
In Wales’ first game against Switzerland, the unlikely heroes were Kieffer Roofe and goalkeeper Danny Ward who played huge roles in scoring and keeping the scoreline respectable for Wales.
But in Baku on Wednesday, the squad’s big names stepped up to deliver when the nation needed them most.
Aaron Ramsey had a total of four shots; three of them were on target. He was solid in the midfield, winning three fouls in the game and completing three dribbles.
For Bale, he generally played well and, despite his poor penalty, was a thorn in the flesh for the Turkish players throughout the game. His performance was so good that he was awarded the man of the match.
Tough road against dark horse Turkey
Before the opening match against Italy, Turkey were seen as the dark horses of this tournament. Boasting a team full of young players and experienced stars like Hakan Calhanoglu and Burak Yilmaz, Turkey, were expected to qualify from this group behind Italy.
The Turkish manager was bullish of his side’s chances against Italy, declaring that he expected to see Italy again in the final.
But two losses from two games means that the end of the road has arrived for the Crescent Stars, who will now face Switzerland in their last game.
They need to register a huge win to qualify as a third team of the group.
Wales positive after today’s display
Wales will now look forward to their last group match against Italy as they seek to qualify for the knockout stages for the second time in five years.
Depending on the outcome of Switzerland’s match with Italy, a draw might be enough to see them qualify for the next round.
However, this result ensures that they remain in control of their destinies going into the final game of the group.
Topping the group also remains a possibility for them if they win their last game.
