HANDS up all those who thought Slovakia would be the Group B whipping boys at Euro 2016?

Wales’s second match against England has naturally hogged the spotlight but this weekend has proved that the opening game will be no cakewalk.

Slovakia stunned Germany, tipped by many to lift the trophy in Paris on July 10, with a 3-1 friendly win in Augsburg on Sunday.

Joachim Low's world champions went ahead through Mario Gomez's penalty after 13 minutes.

But Slovakia hit back through a spectacular strike from Marek Hamsik and sealed the win thanks to further goals from Michal Duris and Juraj Kucka.

The game was played in heavy rain with concerns the match might be abandoned and the third goal was a result of a terrible error by Germany’s Barcelona stopper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

But Ján Kozák’s team are clearly not going to France just to make up the numbers.

And, having beaten Italy at the 2010 World Cup, they deserve more respect than they have been getting in some quarters.

Wales boss Chris Coleman, who names his final 23-man squad at 2.30pm this afternoon, always said he wanted to avoid the ‘circus’ of a Battle of Britain clash.

And he will not make the mistake of underestimating the Slovakians.

With that in mind I wouldn’t be surprised to see star man Gareth Bale play little or no part in Sunday’s friendly against Sweden.

Like every other Welsh fan I watched with heart in mouth as Bale struggled to walk from the halfway line to take his penalty in the shootout that decided Saturday’s Champions’ League final.

It was a heroic effort from the former Tottenham man to overcome severe cramp to coolly convert from the spot and help Real Madrid to an unprecedented 11th European Cup.

South Wales Argus:

Coleman must be tempted to wrap his main man in cotton wool until June 11 but Bale won’t want that.

He was bullish in his assertion that Wales will be going for the title in France and he’s clearly relishing the prospect of a first major tournament on the international stage.

But this close to the real thing it would make no sense to take unnecessary risks during the phoney war and Bale should be limited to 45 minutes at most in Stockholm.

Slovakia complete their preparations with a friendly at home to Northern Ireland on Saturday – clearly hoping to replicate the challenge of facing Wales.

Having secured his place in the Northern Ireland 23 at the weekend, that match will give former Newport County AFC striker Conor Washington one more chance to cement a starting spot for the tournament.

Michael O'Neill and his players will head to their tournament base of Lyon on June 5 before their Group C campaign begins against Poland in Nice on June 12.

Washington and teammates will then face Ukraine in Lyon four days later before taking on world champions Germany in Paris on June 21.

Having scored two goals in three games for his adopted country it seems likely that Washington will start against the Poles in less than a fortnight.

That would complete a remarkable rise through the game – from St Ives Town to County to Peterborough United, Queens Park Rangers and now the European Championships in less than four years.

If and when he does make it onto the pitch in France Washington will become the first ex-County star to feature at a major tournament since John Aldridge.

Aldo, or Olly as he was known at Somerton Park, enjoyed a similarly meteoric rise from non-league to County to Oxford United, Liverpool and international recognition with the Republic of Ireland.

Aldridge played for Jack Charlton’s men at Euro ’88 and in the 1990 and 1994 World Cups – alongside John Sheridan.

But his international career is probably best remembered for a bizarre foul-mouthed rant at the officials during USA ’94.

Trailing 2-0 to Mexico in a group game in the sweltering heat of Orlando, Charlton tried to send Aldridge on as a substitute but was delayed by the officials.

Manager and player both launched expletive-laden tirades that were clearly heard by TV viewers around the globe.

And Aldridge, by this stage almost purple with rage, had to be restrained from attacking the fourth official and a FIFA representative.

South Wales Argus:

Both were punished after the game, but when Aldridge finally was allowed on – after a six-minute delay – he scored the goal that eventually sealed Ireland's qualification for the next stage.

I don’t expect similar behaviour from mild-mannered Washington this summer but don’t rule out the goalscoring heroics.