Aaron Ramsey’s double sends Wales to Euro 2020 with win over Hungary

Aaron Ramsey applied the finishing touches on a memorable night for Wales, with the midfielder scoring both goals against Hungary to ensure his country qualified for Euro 2020.

Gareth Bale left to a standing ovation two minutes from time, by which point Wales had wrapped up victory. Ryan Giggs craved a bold and fearless display and his players delivered, performing with gusto from start to finish.

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With 18 minutes left, a stirring version of Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau filled the Cardiff air and echoed around the stadium. The delirious Wales supporters – nearly all of whom rose to their feet at full-time – can dust off the atlas because, as they made it known, they are very much looking forward to another European tour.

There was an air of inevitability that Ramsey would play the role of the protagonist on his comeback to the starting lineup. Within 47 minutes, his two wonderfully taken goals had Wales purring and in the driving seat. When the opener came, it just had to be Ramsey via a gorgeous Bale cross; of course the Juventus midfielder and the Real Madrid forward would combine on the country’s biggest occasion since defeat in the Euro 2016 semi-finals.

This was Ramsey’s first start in this qualifying campaign and the first time the pair had dovetailed for 368 days – and how they enjoyed themselves. Joe Allen fed Connor Roberts, who slid in Bale down the right flank. Bale whizzed to the byline, darting inside the defender Adam Lang before curling a delicious left-foot cross for an unmarked Ramsey, who powered a header beyond Peter Gulacsi, to send Cardiff into a frenzy. Bale’s wonderful cross from the right seemed to hang in the air for a lifetime but Ramsey made no mistake.

Unsurprisingly the magnitude of a match that Wales had to win generated a wild and feverish atmosphere long before a ball had been kicked. Croatia’s victory over Slovakia on Saturday wrestled fate back into Wales’ hands but when it came to earning the required outcome, it was very much down to Giggs’ vibrant young group to produce.

Ramsey’s availability was a huge boost for Giggs, who made two changes, retaining faith in Joe Morrell, the midfielder on loan at League One Lincoln, while Allen returned from suspension to start in place of Ethan Ampadu. The Wigan Athletic striker Kieffer Moore, who joined non-league Forest Green Rovers the same year Wales made friends at Euro 2016, impressively led the line. Regulars from the last European campaign such as Chris Gunter, Ashley Williams and Sam Vokes again warmed the bench.

The stadium, and presumably Wales, waited with bated breath for Ramsey to finish off a slick move and on the half-hour Moore came inches away from doubling the lead after a slick counterattack. Ramsey was again the catalyst, spraying possession wide for Bale to deliver another wicked ball from the right. It was always going to be a chastening experience for Zsolt Nagy on his full Hungary debut but Bale made a point of tormenting the defender.

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The visitors had whiffs of goal, notably one golden chance when Wayne Hennessey made a heroic double save to deny the striker Dominik Szoboszlai before shutting out Roland Sallai’s relatively tame rebound. But Wales fashioned a second goal less than two minutes after the interval, when Ramsey kept his cool to lash home inside the box from a Ben Davies free-kick. Moore was influential, hooking the ball into the direction of the midfielder via Chris Mepham, who shielded the ball’s path, allowing Ramsey to finish. Then Bale very nearly made it three with a vicious free-kick that flashed over.

Bale suggested Wales’s attacking armoury is stronger than three years ago and they caused havoc from all areas – be it Moore, a constant outlet, Daniel James, the Manchester United winger or one of the usual suspects.

Ramsey was at the beating heart of Wales, drawing fouls in one breath and putting the ball in the net in another. Giggs’s youthful side, unbeaten since defeat in Budapest in June, relished every minute without being reckless or overzealous, with the Chelsea teenager Ampadu a calm presence and the Swansea defender Roberts hoovering up at key moments.

James sped beyond Gergo Lovrencsics late on, presenting Ramsey with an inviting chance to mark his flawless return with a hat-trick but Gulacsi saved with his legs. By then, though, the party had already started.