2) Could Wayne Hennessey have done better with Nainggolan’s strike?
Radja Nainggolan’s fierce strike from 25 yards out in the 13th minute managed to beat the outstretched arms of goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey to give Belgium the lead. Many Welsh fans would have pointed their fingers at Hennessey – claiming that had the goalkeeper of his height timed his jump better, he might have had a better shot at tipping the ball over the crossbar.
However, replays showed that Hennessey’s line of sight was blocked by the presence of Ashley Williams and Aaron Ramsey. There was no way he would have been able to spot the trajectory of the ball until it had passed both Williams and Ramsey.
The fact that he got fingertips onto the ball reflects how close he was to actually saving it. In the end, one must credit Nainggolan for his perfectly timed strike and accept that Hennessey was beaten by the sheer pace of the shot.
