Wales v Slovakia: 13 goals scored in two previous meetings between the sides
Match facts ahead of the Euro 2016 meeting
Using the Independent's dedicated Euro 2016 app, we take a look at all the key match stats ahead of Wales vs Slovakia
- The two previous encounters between Wales and Slovakia produced 13 goals. Both were played in the EURO 2008 qualifiers (5-1 to Slovakia in Cardiff, 5-2 to Wales in Trnava).
- Wales are making their European Championships debut. It’s only their second major tournament after the 1958 World Cup when they were knocked out in the quarter-finals by the eventual winners, Brazil.
- Slovakia are taking part in the European Championships for the first time in their history as an independent state.
- This is Slovakia’s second major tournament after the 2010 World Cup where they were knocked out in the Last 16 by the Netherlands.
- Slovakia’s 17 goals in the qualifying campaign were scored either from open play (14) or indirect free-kick (3).
- Vladimir Weiss made six assists in the qualifying campaign, the joint-highest total alongside Poland’s Arkadiusz Milik and Israel’s Eran Zahavi.
- Only four players scored for Wales in the qualifying campaign, fewer than any of the teams that have made it to EURO 2016.
- Gareth Bale’s first ever goal for Wales was against Slovakia in October 2006. He scored from a direct free-kick.
- Bale scored or assisted nine of Wales’ 11 goals (82%), the highest ratio in the EURO qualifying campaign among teams to have made it the 2016 finals.
- Bale had 52 shots in the qualifying campaign, more than any other player from any team. That equated to 39% of Wales’ total attempts (52 out of 134).
- This is Chris Coleman’s first major tournament as an international manager. He won 32 caps with Wales as a player.
- This is Jan Kozak’s first major tournament as manager. He played all four games with Czechoslovakia at EURO 1980, finishing third.
For more stats, play-by-play commentary, comprehensive Euro 2016 news from the Independent and pre-match coverage, download Independent Euro Live 2016
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