Cristiano Ronaldo became the “Dragon-slayer” as his record-equaling ninth European Championship goal helped power Portugal past Real Madrid teammate Gareth Bales’ Wales and into the Euro 2016 final.
Ronaldo brilliantly rose above the Wales’ defense to score his country’s first goal in the 2-0 win in front of 50,000 fans in the Stade de Lyon on Wednesday.
Nani deflected the Portugal hero’s shot for the decisive second goal that saw their country into Sunday’s final against tournament hosts France or world champions Germany.
Photo: AFP
Ronaldo and Bale had not spoken in the tournament before Wednesday’s match. With victory sealed, Ronaldo embraced his club teammate at the end.
“The team did a marvellous job to reach the final. I hope on Sunday you’ll see me crying with joy,” said Ronaldo, who as a 19-year-old wept on the pitch after Portugal lost 1-0 to Greece as hosts of the Euro 2004 final.
“He’s a natural goal-scorer and he scored yet again,” Bale said. “We’re obviously massively disappointed. We’ve got to be proud of ourselves, first and foremost.”
Wales fans danced and partied with pride into the night, despite the heartbreaking defeat in the nation’s biggest soccer match ever.
About 27,000 impassioned fans who watched the loss on giant screens in Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium on Wednesday swallowed their devastation and streamed out voicing unabashed delight at how far Wales had come.
“If you can think of every emotion in the world, I’ve felt them all in the last 15 seconds: happiness, anger, sadness, pride,” said Conor Wall, 23, from Caerphilly. “No one expected us to even qualify. You can’t fault us.”
Bouncing around singing in the stadium concourses, fans in Cardiff were ecstatic at the previously unfancied team’s extraordinary run at the 2016 European Championship finals — their best performance since reaching the 1958 World Cup quarter-finals.
“It’s a contradiction of feelings because we’re devastated, but we’re so proud,” Rhian Coles of Cardiff said. “It doesn’t make sense, this feeling. I feel bad for feeling bad — we’ve made history.”
Outside, men whipped off their red Wales soccer shirts and swung them around their heads, singing Don’t Take Me Home, the terrace chant that Welsh fans have taken around France throughout Euro 2016.
“It’s incredible. We’ve lost 2-0 — and are elated,” said Taz Afsar, 46, from Fairwater in Cardiff, as he captured the party on his mobile phone. “We’ve exceeded all expectations. It doesn’t matter who the cup goes to: We’ve already won. They will not match our pride. I’m so proud to be Welsh right now.”
“This is the Welsh spirit at its highest. I’m optimistic. I’m not down about it at all. We’re going to take the 2018 World Cup by storm,” added Conor Lewis, 23.
Matches up to the semi-final had been shown live in a 6,000-capacity fanzone in Cardiff’s Bute Park, but due to overwhelming demand, Wednesday’s gathering was shifted to the Millennium Stadium.
About 20,000 free tickets were snapped up within 90 minutes of going online, so organizers released another 7,000 — which went in half an hour.
The Millennium Stadium is the cathedral of the national sport of rugby union, but on Wednesday, there was no doubt that soccer ruled the roost.
Equal numbers of men and women streamed in carrying Wales flags and blow-up daffodils, some dressed head to toe in dragon costumes, others with their faces painted with the red dragon.
The cavernous stadium’s retractable roof was shut, trapping in the sound as supporters roared on their heroes.
There were huge cheers at the first sight of the Wales team, with noise levels topping 100 decibels as fans stood to belt out the national anthem Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau (“Land of My Fathers”).
“I’m gutted, but ecstatic that we made it this far. We made it to the semi-finals. It’s unheard of. We’ll celebrate how far we’ve come,” said Sophie Manley, 27, from Newport, who was wearing a T-shirt bearing the words “Thirsty Welsh girl.”
At the end of the game, fans had stood en masse to applaud a team that thrilled a nation.
“I’m heartbroken and just absolutely gutted. We had chances in the first half, but the party goes on. The atmosphere is great,” said Mark Davies, a builder’s yard worker from Swansea.
“We’ve done better than England. That’s what counted,” he added.
“We’ll celebrate what we’ve achieved: European and worldwide respect. Everyone’s fallen in love with Wales,” Sian Melvin of Cardiff said.
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