Hennessey – who even missed the chance to join in post-match celebrations after being selected for the random drug testing – said it was anything but mixed emotion as Wales got the start they were all hoping for in France.
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Robson-Kanu, who is a free agent after being released by Reading at the end of his contract, accepted it was not his finest goal.
Robson-Kanu, 27, who has declined a new deal at the Madejski Stadium, believes he can perform in the Premier League and expressed that opinion confidently during a break from training at the Dinard sports centre that has been revamped as Wales’ tournament training base.
It is behaviour that has seen Welsh supporters praised by police and French media as they head to Lens for Thursday’s match against England. With winners against Andorra, Belgium and Cyprus, Bale bagged half of the 18 points that Wales needed to be among the 24 teams in France, a first appearance at a major tournament for the country of 3 million people since the World Cup of 1958.
Hal Robson-Kanu’s late victor against Slovakia means Wales can play without pressure in Lens but Bale said they were focused only on trying to beat England.
“Some of his best moments were at the end of the game, when we were 2-1 up”, said the manager.
“We know we’re up against it in the next game”.
Coleman’s men went in with just one victory from their previous seven games while Slovakia were unbeaten in eight.
“I said before the game, whatever happens today if we got three points, one point or no points, it didn’t matter about the result because you’re not guaranteed anything”, he added.
Wales suffered a blow before kick-off when goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey had to drop out with a back spasm.
There was also a first worldwide start for Liverpool goalkeeper Danny Ward, in for the injured Wayne Hennessey.
After surviving an early scare thanks to Ben Davies’ tremendous goal-line clearance from Marek Hamisk, Wales struck through Bale whose set-piece free-kick completely flummoxed Slovakia keeper Matus Kozacik.
“We want the wins and we want to go as far as we can in this tournament”.
Injuries, including a broken leg playing for Wales’ youth team, hampered his career; at just 5-feet, 6-inches (1.68 meters) tall, Williams is also on the short side for football. “Like I’ve said before there’s no other fans like the Welsh”.
Wales deserved their victory after being the dominant force in the match, except for an early wobble and hard patch after substitute Ondrej Duda equalised with his first touch. “I think a draw would have been fairer”.
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“We don’t need to fear anybody”.
