5 Truths: It was Cristiano Ronaldo’s night, Ramsey a huge miss for Wales

Inevitably billed as Gareth Bale versus Cristiano Ronaldo, this eventually emerged as a mismatch of gigantic proportions. Bale actually had the better of the first half. While Ronaldo showed off some clever footwork, he wasn’t as central to proceedings as he would have liked and sent one header over the bar in the closing stages of the half. Bale, by contrast, was probing with diagonal balls from deep and then making scorching runs himself, one particularly lightning attack seeing him surge from deep on the right flank, drive inside and power a drive low at Rui Patricio.

But everything changed in the space of three minutes. First, Ronaldo headed home magnificently when rising above James Chester to power the ball past Wayne Hennessey from a free-kick. Soon it was 2-0 to Portugal when he approached the box and fired in a low shot which Nani latched onto and steered past the Wales keeper. A goal and an assist. Definitive. It did not matter that it was Bale whom he overshadowed: what mattered really was that this was Ronaldo’s moment as he equalled Michel Platini’s record of nine European Championship goals and steered his team to the final again, 12 years after his first.

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The big talking point prior to kick-off was Portugal’s loss of Pepe to injury but he was barely missed as Bruno Alves slotted into the centre of defence quite comfortably. The player whose absence was felt, though, was Aaron Ramsey, suspended for Wales after a handball against Belgium. In the first half, Wales struggled to establish a supply line between their midfield and attack; often Bale found himself coming deep to fire long balls in for Hal Robson-Kanu and Andy King, making runs in behind.

And in the second half, as Ronaldo stamped his authority on the game and Chris Coleman made a string of substitutions, the things Wales were really missing were quality and control. Ramsey could have supplied both but he was watching on the sidelines. Both Pepe and Ramsey could feasibly end up in UEFA’s team of the tournament, but only one would have made an appreciable difference to this match - sadly for Wales.

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This is not the best Portugal side the European Championships has seen but neither France nor Germany will relish taking them on in the final in Paris, whoever wins in Marseille tomorrow night. They can be compact when they need to be, and certainly negated the threat posed by Bale in the second half as his influence on the game waned.

This was the first match they have won in regulation time but after a disappointing group stage and narrow victories over Croatia and Poland in the knockouts, they are gradually growing into this tournament. Peaking at the right moment is a valuable skill and there is a sense Portugal are doing just that. Whether they can step up to a high enough level to win the whole competition is still doubtful, but they cannot be discounted.

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In the end it was just one step too far. No British team has reached a major tournament final since Geoff Hurst’s hat-trick against Germany in 1966. England have failed to do so in 18 subsequent attempts and Wales could not outdo their rivals in what was their first major finals since the 1958 World Cup. There will be no recriminations though: Wales gave their supporters some of the best days and nights of their lives in France.

“Don’t take me home” was ringing out from the Wales end even after the final whistle, as it had throughout Lyon all through the day. But now those return flights and trains can finally be booked. Wales are going home, but not without writing one of the great football stories of recent decades. By the end, it was their supporters making all the noise in Lyon.

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Hal Robson-Kanu’s Cruyff turn to score against Belgium was, to this observer at least, the singular highlight of Euro 2016. The audacity and the imagination to pull it off was breathtaking - and this from a very unlikely source. But far from a one-trick pony, Robson-Kanu looked determined to impress once again in the semi-final. Inside seven minutes he executed a double dragback to lose a couple of players in the Portugal half. On 25 minutes, he took an excellent touch to take the ball away from his marker and then sprinted onto it to deliver a dangerous cross for Andy King.

Deciding not to sign a new contract at Reading and leaving himself a free agent for the Euros was probably the wisest thing the striker has ever done. This is not just a shop window: it’s football’s Harrod’s, and Robson-Kanu’s two goals in Wales’ thrilling run and impressive vignettes as we saw against Portugal should ensure he steps up a level when he gets home, speaks to his agent and sorts through the multiple offers which will be coming his way. He was taken off as Wales chased the game, being replaced by Simon Church, but he left his mark at the tournament.