UEFA Euro 2016 Wales vs Belgium Preview: Start Time, Live Stream, Tickets and TV Info
Wales Aims to Beat Belgium in Their First EUFA Euro 2016 Quarter Finals
Following Iceland's stunning upset over England in the round of 16 of the UEFA European championship, Wales looks to make their own upset over tournament favorite Belgium in the quarter finals.
For Wales, getting into the UEFA Euro quarterfinals is a first.
The Wales vs. Belgium match will be played on Friday, July 1, at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy located in Lille, France. The game is live on BBC one and will be hosted by Gary Lineker at 9 p.m. Central European time.
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Wales a Surprise Quarter Finalist
The last time Wales participated in a major tournament was in 1958, so seeing this team in the quarterfinals was a surprise to many. It helps that the team has Gareth Bale, winger for Real Madrid, to take care of the offensive side and wreak havoc to opposing teams.
Wales made it to the quarterfinals by beating Northern Ireland 1-0, with the only score coming from an own goal by Gareth McAuley 75 minutes into the game. Wales showed tremendous defense in that game, which they are expected to utilize in the upcoming matchup.
Belgium made it to the quarterfinals by dominating Hungary 4-0. Eden Hazard, winger from Chelsea, scored a goal and made an assist to another in a player-of-the-game effort.
Wales Had Belgium's Number
While most experts predict Belgium to win, Wales actually got the better of them during last year's UEFA qualifying stages, where both countries played in the same group. In the first match, the game was a draw. In the second, Gareth Bale scored a goal to win 1-0.
In an interview, Bale said, "We are like their bogey team, aren't we? 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."
Despite expectations, with some experts predicting a 3-1 victory over Wales, Belgium cannot be complacent. They have shown weaknesses when it comes to scoring against teams with great defense, and defending against teams with excellent attackers. With Ramsey and Bales playing, Wales has an offensive duo that can give Belgium problems.
Team Strategies
Wales is expected to start with a 3-5-1-1 formation, with a starting lineup composed of Hennessey, Williams, Chester, Davies; Allen, Gunter, Ramsey, Ledley, Taylor; Bale; Vokes.
Belgium will employ a 4-2-3-1 formation, with a starting lineup composed of Courtois; Meunier, Vermaelen, Alderweireld, Vertonghen; Witsel, Nainggolan; Hazard, De Bruyne, Mertens; Lukaku.
