Wales vs Belgium - Euro 2016 as it happened: Wales produce monumental display to reach semi-finals
Relive the drama from Lille as Wales and Belgium went head-to-head to reach the semi-finals
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Your support makes all the difference.Welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of Euro 2016 as Wales prepare for one of the biggest days in their sporting history when they face Belgium at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille.
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Chris Coleman’s side have been buoyed by news that captain Ashley Williams’ shoulder injury is not as bad as first feared with the Swansea City defender set to play this evening. Following the 1-0 victory against Northern Ireland at the weekend, Williams was pictured with a sling over his arm but appears to have made a recovery.
Coleman said this week: "I'm just relieved. Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but you need leaders in your side. We've got a really good dressing room, a good blend, and Ash is the captain. When you have a strong dressing room you need a strong character to lead it, and Ash is that."
Belgium, meanwhile, are facing an injury crisis after Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen was sine lined with knee ligament problems – adding to the woe already caused by Vincent Kompany missing out on the competition altogether.
Gareth Bale, the Wales superstar, is relishing the opportunity to continue their remarkable summer in France. Belgium, of course, know them well. “We are like their bogey team aren't we?” Bale said at the Welsh camp in Brittany. “We understand we've had good results against them, but they are a top team. Hopefully that edge gets into their heads, you never know. It's about how well the two teams perform on the night.
“We will definitely draw on those experiences, it gives us more knowledge on them,” Bale said. “We know how to play against them and how they play. We know it will be a different game from the qualifiers and it is a more pressurised situation, but we understand what they are about and how they work. We will hone our game-plan to try and stop them, but help our attack.”
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