Can Wales contain a resurgent Belgium team and progress to the semi-finals of a major tournament for the first time in their history?
Wales have won a host of new admirers in this competition but they will face their toughest test against Belgium. Marc Wilmot’s team have found their swagger and are favourites to go through to the next round.
Who do you think will win the game? Make your prediction here.
Belgium’s Red Devils have bounced back from a humbling defeat by Italy in the first group game. The top ranked team in the tournament have found their form and they will be looking to get revenge on the Welsh who beat them in qualifying. Eden Hazard engineered the Red Devils’ 4-0 destruction of Hungary in the last round and topped a fine performance with an outstanding individual goal. Belgium are not a one-man team, they have arguably the most talented squad in the tournament, this golden generation is now living up to the hype. Hazard and Roma’s Radja Nainggolan provide the style and the steel in midfield and upfront they can call on the power and pace of Romelu Lukaku and Michy Batshuayi. This could be the first Belgian side to deliver a major trophy. Belgium will be without key defenders for this game, Jan Vertonghen suffered an ankle injury in training and is out for 8 Weeks and Thomas Vermaelen will miss the game due to suspension.
Wales are ranked 24 places below Belgium in the Fifa rankings, but Wales can draw confidence from their the last meeting when they won 1-0 in Cardiff, they are unbeaten in their last 3 games against their opponents. Gareth Bale has lived up to his billing and has scored 3 goals in 4 games. Aaron Ramsey has also been in fine form, the Arsenal man has recorded 4 assists so far and looks to be revelling in his role in central midfield. This will be a difficult examination for Chris Coleman’s side and it could be made even harder if their captain Ashley Williams hasn’t fully recovered from the shoulder injury he suffered against Northern Ireland.
Head to Head
7 Matches played
2 draws
2 wins Wales
3 wins Belgium
The teams last met in Cardiff in a European Championships qualifier that Wales won. The previous game in Brussels was drawn.
Wales Form
| WON | Wales | 1 | 0 | Northern Ireland |
| WON | Wales | 3 | 0 | Russia |
| LOST | England | 2 | 1 | Wales |
| WON | Wales | 2 | 1 | Slovakia |
Belgium Form
| WON | Belgium | 4 | 0 | CHungary |
| WON | Belgium | 1 | 0 | Sweden |
| WON | Belgium | 3 | 0 | Republic of Ireland |
| LOST | Italy | 2 | 0 | Belgium |
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