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Wales finally shed ‘one-man team’ tag

TOULOUSE —As Aaron Ramsey and Chris Coleman addressed the media following Wales’ table-topping win in Toulouse, the noise of the Welsh fans’ celebrations flooded in from outside. “Don’t take me home, please don’t take me home,” they chanted.

Wales players celebrating in front of their fans after winning 3-0 against Russia. Wales have earned their place in the last 16 through group effort. Photo: AP

Wales players celebrating in front of their fans after winning 3-0 against Russia. Wales have earned their place in the last 16 through group effort. Photo: AP

TOULOUSE —As Aaron Ramsey and Chris Coleman addressed the media following Wales’ table-topping win in Toulouse, the noise of the Welsh fans’ celebrations flooded in from outside. “Don’t take me home, please don’t take me home,” they chanted.

And after this performance, one which sealed the top spot in Group B and a last-16 encounter in Paris, nobody will be obliged to head back to Wales.

And no one will be able to call Wales a one-man team again, either. Because as one-man teams go, Wales have some pretty good supporting members of the cast.

Yes, Gareth Bale was indeed superb against Russia, playing with a zest and aplomb Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic seem to have temporarily mislaid. But what made his performance here so compelling, so masterful, so extraordinary is that his lead was picked up by those around him in red shirts.

Bale may have been brilliant in their midst, but Wales collectively were just that: A collective.

Unlike some others in the tournament, this was an 11-man team: Five players have now scored in these finals. From James Chester in the back line, through Aaron Ramsey free-running in midfield to the Pirlo of the Valleys Joe Allen, they played with a conviction that Russia could only watch in forlorn exasperation.

And Ramsey was quick to note the collective sense of achievement. “It was a fantastic feeling to score,” he said.

“But we’ve been waiting for this for a long, time. We wanted to stand up and be recognised for the work we put in. Our main target was to get out of the group, so to finish top is fantastic. To hear the fans singing, having made them proud, now let’s see where we can go. From here, over 90 minutes, anything can happen.”

Ramsey’s tone was picked up by his manager, struggling to be heard above the rousing Welsh chorus.

“This is the best,” said Coleman when asked how the win could be ranked in his list of achievements. “I’ve never seen a better performance from any Welsh team than that. On the back of a crushing defeat to England shows the character of this team, how brave the players are.

“You’re judged on results, but I think the performance was really pleasing. We’re so lucky now to be experiencing something as a manager I never did as a player. I’m immensely proud.”

At the heart of this Welsh endeavour, terrifying Russian defenders every time he had the ball at his feet, was Bale.

He made Neil Taylor’s goal and, after registering at least half a dozen shots on target, inevitably got on the scoresheet in the second half.

He now joins a select group of Michel Platini, Hristo Stoichkov, Alan Shearer, Savo Milosevic, Milan Baros and Ruud van Nistelrooy to score in all three Euro group games. But, when asked the question he has been asked on many occasions before, Coleman was quick to rebuff the idea that his is a one-man team.

“I can understand why people say that, at times he has won us games with something extraordinary,” he said. “But you need more than that, you need a lot of team spirit, a lot of team effort.”

Bale himself had little doubt about the scale of the effort. “It’s probably the best performance I’ve been involved in with Wales. We started very well, we didn’t feel too nervous,” he said.

“To top the group, what more can you ask? We said we didn’t want to make the numbers. Well, we can’t do any more than win the group. We look forward to seeing who we play next.”

Whoever makes it through the permutations to face them on Saturday, after playing like they did in Toulouse, the Welsh can look forward with some expectation to further progress.

As for the Russians, after undoubtedly the worst performance of the competition so far, they head back to prepare for their World Cup. With their fans, their government and this team, it does not promise to be a tournament overburdened with joy. THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

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