Friday 4 September 2015 07:29, UK
Wales manager Chris Coleman praised his players for the way they handled the pressure as they beat Cyprus to put them on the brink of qualification for Euro 2016.
After victory in Cyprus, Wales need to beat Israel in Cardiff on Sunday to qualify for their first major tournament since 1958.
And Coleman hailed his "magnificent" players as they secured a first win in Cyprus in 20 years and stretched their unbeaten run in competitive matches to a record-breaking nine matches.
"It was difficult tonight," Coleman told Sky Sports. "We knew what to expect. The pitch was awful. It was hot and humid and we were up against an opposition that had nothing to lose with the expectation on us.
"We knew it was all to lose for us but we went into the game with a point. It was up to Cyprus to take it off us. That's how we looked at it.
"It wasn't pretty and not one of our better performances but in terms of the three points, it's a huge three points for us. That's what it's all about.
"In terms of a team performance we were magnificent. It is 20 years since we've won here. Normally we come here and we don't handle the situation very well. We get frustrated and end up losing the game but not this group of players.
"They've been absolutely magnificent. There was a lot of pressure on us tonight but we handled it brilliantly and all credit to them."
Gareth Bale was Wales' match-winner with his sixth goal in the European qualifying campaign and Coleman insists his last-gasp header was a goal Welsh legend John Charles would have been proud of.
"Chances-wise I thought we had enough to win the game," he added. "We thought we should have had a penalty and at one point it looked like, with the way the game was being refereed, we would need something special to get the three points.
"And it was. The header is an amazing header. It was straight out of John Charles' soccer book. I think big John Charles would have been proud of that.
"It was a great way to win it. I was delighted."
Attention now switches to Sunday when Wales face Israel at the Cardiff City Stadium needing just three points to qualify for the European Championships for the first time.
And Coleman insists his side will not be thinking about qualification but will be focusing on their own performance against Israel.
He said: "Even before this game there were people saying if you get two wins or you get four points then that could be enough and we genuinely never talked about it.
"As soon as the whistle's gone we were talking about what we are going to do in the build up to Sunday.
"It's another challenge for us. Israel have won tonight in a game you expect them to win so it's all about our performance.
"Our eyes are on our performance and that's all that matters."
