Euro 2016: Gareth Bale and Robson-Kanu fire Wales to victory against Slovakia

The striker, who left Reading after last season and is without a club, netted the winner just a few minutes after coming on, giving Wales the lead again after Ondrej Duda had equalised Gareth Bale's opening free-kick.

It was a frantic, pulsating encounter in which both sides slugged each other like a couple of exhausted boxers, periods of dominance by both teams characterising a tournament that even in its early days is shaping up brilliantly.

Bale gave Wales the lead in the first half, hitting home a free-kick from 25 yards to send the Welsh fans into paroxysms of joy. This was their first goal at a major tournament since Terry Medwin scored against Hungary in a group stage play-off at the 1958 World Cup.

The game swung back and forth, with Slovakia taking command in the latter stages of the first half. And they made that dominance pay early in the second period, when substitute Duda let a pass run across his path and shot home with his first touch after coming on.

But just as one sub changed the game for Slovakia, another did for Wales. Joe Ledley fed Aaron Ramsey, who stumbled but managed to find Robson-Kanu, and the forward scuffed a shot into the corner of the net. Plenty of credit must go to manager Chris Coleman, who chose to leave Robson-Kanu out of the starting XI as he carried a knock into the game, but the boss brought him on at exactly the right time.

This sets up Wales brilliantly for the big game against England on Thursday, and gives them a superb chance of qualifying for the second phase. Their celebrations showed a togetherness that has characterised their journey to Euro 2016, and you wouldn't be surprised if they went far in France.

Could Hal Robson-Kanu earn himself a big move? International tournaments are notorious for highlighting the talents of some players that might not have been obvious at club level, and the most obvious candidate for that in the Wales team is Hal Robson-Kanu. Out of contract having left Reading, the forward plays his best football for Wales, so while he's far from prolific he could impress someone looking for a bargain this summer.

Gareth Bale: He's the most threatening player in the Welsh team and showed it again, scoring the opening goal and being at the heart of most good things that Chris Coleman's men did.

Wales: Ward 6, Gunter 7, Chester 7, A Williams 8, Davies 8, Taylor 7, Allen 8, Edwards 7, Ramsey 6, J Williams 7, Bale 8. Subs: Robson-Kanu 8, Ledley 7

Slovakia: Kozacik 6, Pekarik 6, Skrtel 5, Durica 6, Svento 6, Mak 7, Kucka 7, Hrosovsky 6, Hamsik 7, Weiss 6, Duris 6. Subs: Nemec 6, Duda 7

10 - GOAL! GARETH BALE GIVES WALES THE LEAD! Of course it was him! Free-kick for Wales around 30 yards out just to the right, Bale lines it up and makes decent contact, but the keeper had stepped behind his wall and couldn't reach a shot well inside the post. What a start!

32 - Astonishing stuff from the extra official behind the goal - Skrtel tries to shepherd the ball out for a goal-kick, under pressure from Jonny Williams, but the giant centre-back shoves his elbow/arm right into the Crystal Palace midfielder's face, no more than three yards from that official. And nothing is given. Remarkable.

45 - CHANCE! Huge chance for Slovakia, who are ending the half with all of the impetus they didn't have earlier. Hamsik swings over a cross from the right, Skrtel ghosts in behind the Welsh defence but misses the glancing header. He looked offside... but replays show he wasn't. Big miss.

61 - GOAL FOR SLOVAKIA! And it's level! The substitution pays off straight away. Mak gets down the right of the box and gets past Edwards far too easily, slips it inside to Duda, who lets the ball run across his body and with his first touch shoots into the bottom corner.

81 - GOAL FOR WALES! ROBSON-KANU! Ramsey drives through the middle after picking up a pass from Ledley, he nearly loses his balance but manages to smuggle the ball to Robson-Kanu, the substitute scuffs a shot off his shin but it trickles past the keeper and into the net!

Wales became the first British team to win their European Championships opening game.

Ondrej Duda scored after 52 seconds, which was the fastest European Championships goal by a substitute since Juan Carlos Valeron on v Russia in 2004.