3 things we learned from Wales’ 3-1 win over Belgium at Euro 2016

It was a resounding success for Wales in the Euro 2016 quarterfinals, putting in a tremendous performance to beat Belgium 3-1 and advance to the semifinals. Despite going down early, Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey led the way in an inspirational team performance to not just overturn Belgium’s lead, but utterly outplay their opponents the rest of the way -- quickly equalizing, then scoring twice in the second half to secure the win, including Hal Robson-Kanu’s stunning winner.

The match got off to an blistering start, with both Wales and Belgium racing forward trying to find any opportunity to score that they could find. It was Belgium with the first truly great scoring chances, but a heroic stand from the Welsh defense saw them clear three straight Belgium shots off the line in the space of about five seconds, leaving everyone wondering how Belgium weren’t holding a lead in the sixth minute of the match.

Wales weren’t cowed by their opponents’ attacking prowess, and quickly surged forward again, with Bale hitting side netting and coming close on another scoring chance just a few minutes later, and Hal Robson-Kany regularly getting looks in front of goal. The match was being played at a breakneck pace, one which suited both teams just fine with how they were set up.

Despite their early setbacks, it was Belgium that struck first. Radja Nainggolan took a pass from Eden Hazard and unleashed a shot from 25 yards out that, coming off his foot, looked like it was heading wide. That left Welsh goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey reacting late -- and when the ball swerved its way back on frame it was too late for him to do more than get a finger on it before Nainggolan’s shot snapped the back of the net.

The match hardly slowed down after Belgium took their lead, but a tense air took over the proceedings as Wales concentrated even harder on finding any opening possible. The harder edge to Wales’ play helped create a few mistakes by their defenders that saw them earn yellow cards -- but it was another of their defenders who stepped up huge half an hour into the match, with center back and captain Ashley Williams taking advantage of a huge miscue by Belgium’s defense on a corner to thump a header home and bring his country level.

That goal seemed to really break the building bubble of pressure Wales had been building up throughout the first half, and by the time the halftime whistle blew Belgium were glad for the relief. Wales had been all over them since the goal, forcing Belgium’s back line into nervous play as they struggled to adjust for the varying directions Wales’ attack was coming at them from.

Marc Wilmots decided to change Belgium’s shape and approach to the match at halftime thanks to their struggles, bringing in Marouane Fellaini to add midfield steel in place of winger Yannick Carrasco, who had actually been a useful player in the first half. Wales struggled in the opening minutes of the half to adjust to Belgium’s changes, giving Romelu Lukaku a chance at a free header off a Thomas Meunier cross -- but his effort whistled just wide and Wales were given a chance to reorganize.

That reorganization turned to magic ten minutes into the half when Ramsey made a run over the top to collect a deep pass, then centered the ball to Robson-Kanu to collect in front of goal. He initially lost the ball when Thomas Meunier challenged him, but Robson-Kanu’s effort to recover the ball, turn and fire it home past Thibaut Courtois before Meunier could react was absolutely phenomenal.

Belgium only had a handful of chances for almost 20 minutes thanks to them struggling to get a cohesive attack going with the Fellaini-Witsel-Nainggolan midfield, just as they did earlier in the tournament when that trio played together. Seeing those struggles, though, Wilmots made the risky decision of taking off a fullback in Jordan Lukaku and put on Dries Mertens to get more playmaking flair on the pitch.

That quickly paid off, with Belgium getting their best spell of attacking play since early in the match, one that arguably should have seen Wales go down to 10 men. Defender Ben Davies was one of the Welsh players who picked up an early booking, and a desperation challenge on Romelu Lukaku during Belgium’s later spell of attacking play looked like a clearly bookable defense, which would have seen Davies sent off and Wales left a man down. Slovenian referee Damir Skomina left his cards in his pocket, though, and Welsh fans breathed a sigh of relief.

That sigh turned to raucous celebration just a few short minutes later when Chris Gunter whipped in a cross from the right touchline and Sam Vokes, who had only come into the match for Robson-Kanu five minutes earlier, whipped a fantastic header all the way across the face of goal that beat Courtois and put Wales ahead 3-1, crushing the momentum Belgium had built and stunning the crowd.

The win was a massive one for Wales, the first British side to make a major tournament semifinal in 20 years, and a huge statement as to just how tremendously talented their team really is. It’s also a major indictment of Belgium, who despite all the talent that they have, again failed to find a way to properly bring that talent together and impress at a tournament. It’s back to square one for Wilmots’ side again, while Chris Coleman and Wales celebrate and plan for what comes next in the Euro 2016 semifinals.

Goals: Williams (30’), Robson-Kanu (55’), Vokes (85’)

Goals: Nainggolan (13’)

When Wales announced a 3-5-2 formation to start the match with, many assumed that they would sit deep against Belgium’s star-studded attack and look to play on the counter. The reality was anything but, with Wales using their numbers in midfield to keep possession and move the ball quickly. Joe Allen and Ramsey constantly switched the ball between each other and their wingbacks, keeping Nainggolan and Witsel spinning around in their efforts to win the ball back.

Thanks to Jan Vertonghen’s ankle injury and Thomas Vermaelen’s suspension, Belgium had to start two relatively inexperienced players on the left side of their defense in Jordan Lukaku and Jason Denayer. The pair actually started the match quite well, but once Wales started focusing more of their attacking efforts on them, they quickly unraveled and became a liability.

Lukaku became too easy for Wales’ attacking runs to turn, and Denayer’s positioning was so erratic that Toby Alderweireld was having to cheat farther in his direction to cover the gaps he was leaving, which in turn exposed Belgium’s right side as well. Both players also became a liability on set pieces, as exemplified on Williams’ goal and another chance he had on a corner just a few minutes later. Belgium’s first unit of defenders is good, but their reserves leave a lot to be desired.

Ramsey is one of the most highly regarded midfielders in the English Premier League, but Joe Allen and Joe Ledley don’t get near as much acclaim. That trio played absolutely fantastic football against Belgium, though, with Ledley serving as an excellent and highly mobile shield for the back line, and the pair of Allen and Ramsey embarrassing Belgium’s midfielders in possession. The fact that they did that after opening the match with Belgium easily holding possession and cutting forward at will, then making the adjustments to completely flip the script just 15 or so minutes into the match, is all the more impressive.

The Welsh midfield has arguably been the best-performing midfield unit in Euro 2016 so far, and that’s because they play as a unit, using their talents to mesh together and form a trio that’s been tough to stop or even slow down. They used that to their fullest advantage against Belgium, and they deserve to be heaped with praise for their performance.