Wales vs Belgium: Hal Robson-Kanu insists ‘anything is possible’ as Welsh chase Euro 2016 dream

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A fortnight before Euro 2016, Hal Robson-Kanu was still on crutches. Tonight, the Londoner believes he and his team-mates can continue to defy the odds and propel Wales to their first semi-final.

Prior to the campaign, there were a number of walking wounded in the Wales camp. Joe Ledley was in a race against time to be fit after breaking his leg in mid-May, Joe Allen had a knee injury and Robson-Kanu damaged his ankle in a training match.

The problems cast a shadow over the team’s build-up but Robson-Kanu’s winning goal off the bench in the opening game against Slovakia was the catalyst to their success and their unity — upon which England can only look upon enviously — and has left them believing anything is possible.

In conversation, the 27-year-old is supremely relaxed on the eve of the clash with Belgium, Wales’ biggest match since their 1958 World Cup quarter-final against Brazil.

“We’re just enjoying every minute of this,” he tells Standard Sport. “We put in so much hard work to get here — and I think people forget here — so we just want to make the most of it.

“People also forget that five-odd years ago, we were a hundred and something in the world so how can you not enjoy what we’ve done in that time? We don’t want it to end.”

Belgium showed what they are capable of with a 4-0 rout of Hungary in the last round. However, Robson-Kanu is convinced Wales can be crowned European champions and in a tournament of underdogs, such a suggestion is not that far-fetched.

“Of course it’s possible,” he says. “We’re in the last eight and we’ve taken a lot of pride in each of our performances. But we want to do more and achieve more.”

Robson-Kanu likes to return to the theme of the underdog in a tournament of upsets — the most recent, of course, being Iceland’s defeat of England.

Despite being born in Acton, Robson-Kanu insists he was neutral to England’s exit but defended the video showing Wales players and management celebrating Iceland’s triumph.

“There was nothing anti-England in that as people suggested,” he says. “It has been the year of the underdog, and we’ve been cheering the underdog whether that’s Iceland, Albania or Hungary. But being the underdog is just something on paper. At the end of the day, you get what you deserve out of matches.”

Although Belgium are favourites tonight, they lost to Wales and drew with them in qualifying, giving Chris Coleman’s side even more confidence.

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“They look great and pose enormous threats but we know how to impose our game on them,” says Robson-Kanu.

From scoring against Slovakia to starting against England and having an impact off the bench against Northern Ireland, Robson-Kanu has been a vital cog in Wales’ success.

The striker is without a club for now having left Reading as a free agent at the end of the season. However, he has been watched by Premier League scouts in France and knows continued success at the Euros will help his cause.

He describes his situation as “unique” and although he has put discussions about his future on hold until Wales bow out of the Euros the hope, even expectation, is those talks will not begin after Lille tonight. He says: “I don’t want this ever to end. I’ve loved every minute of it and we’re all relishing it. The reaction back at home and the videos of people celebrating our success has been wild. It’s just been fantastic for the nation.”

No one has felt the success more proudly than his grandmother Elizabeth, who hails from Caerphilly and through whom Robson-Kanu qualified for Wales.

Such has been the success that although Gareth Bale is clearly the star of the team the other players have had their talents recognised, too.

Robson-Kanu describes the Real Madrid player as their “talisman” but adds: “We know how important he is but he needs the team as well. What’s good is that it’s been all about the 11 players on the pitch for us, and there’s no way you can rely on just one player. The combination of us being aware how fantastic a player he is but also what we can do for him just works.”

Whether that clicks again against Belgium remains to be seen but Robson-Kanu is still daring to dream.

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