Wales captain Williams dedicates win to fans back home

IANS

Lille (France), July 2 (IANS) Wales captain Ashley Williams has dedicated the national football team's incredible European Championship run to the semi-finals to their fans back home.

The Wales captain netted an equaliser for Chris Coleman's men on Friday as they came from behind to beat Belgium 3-1 in the quarter-finals here.

And, speaking after the stunning win, the Swansea City defender struggled to summarise a historic night as he again hailed his side's supporters.

"It's difficult to describe. We were ever so pleased just to get here, and then to get out of the group stage, we just keep going. I love the guys, the fans have been brilliant, and I hope everyone's having a good time back home -- I'm sure they are," Williams was quoted as saying by BBC after the win.

"We do it for them, we do it for ourselves, we do it for the group. I won't know what it means until I go home tonight, get on the plane tomorrow, and take it in a bit more."

Despite Wales' momentous achievement, though, Williams is not getting carried away, and could not be pressed on the possibility of winning the tournament.

"We're not looking that far yet. We've got a difficult game to come. We'll enjoy it, we'll keep enjoying it and we'll try to play our stuff, as we have done the whole time," the skipper said.

Wales will face Portugal in the last four in Lyon on Wednesday.

--IANS

ac/pur/bg