Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale scored a hat-trick in Wales's 6-0 demolition of China in Nanning this afternoon to become his nation's record all-time scorer.
The 28-year-old netted twice in the opening quarter of the match at the Guangxi Sports Center and completed his treble soon before being taken off an hour or so in.
Bale is now above Ian Rush as the Dragons' leading marksman, achieving the feat on a memorable day for another Welshman as Ryan Giggs marked his first game as manager in style.
Less than two minutes were needed for Bale to make his 7,500km trek worthwhile, profiting from some poor defensive play from the hosts to drift into the box and rifle the ball into the top corner.
China, ranked 65th in the world, enjoyed their best period of the match between Bale's first two goals, coming close to a leveller through a close range Wu Lei attempt and a tame shot from the same player soon after.
A minute after Ashley Williams had somehow managed to send a free header over the bar, Bale doubled his personal tally for the afternoon by taking Sam Vokes's pass into his path and this time rolling it past Yan Junling in the opposition goal.
After drawing level with legendary striker Rush in Wales's all-time scoring stakes, Bale played a part in the third goal of the match, spraying the ball out to Andy King who in turn found Vokes in the middle.
Vokes, already with a couple of assists to his name, stuck out a leg to cap a fine first-half display with his ninth goal in Wales colours.
Star man Bale then had a shot kept out, before Harry Wilson marked his first start in Welsh colours, on what was his 21st birthday, by cutting inside and curling the ball out of Yan's reach to get off the mark for his country.
Wales struggled to carry their first-half momentum into the second period, with Wei Shihao nearly turning a corner past Wayne Hennessey at his front post, and Zhao Xuri's shot at least giving the Welsh keeper a little something to do.
Normal service was resumed with just short of an hour on the clock, however, as Vokes held his run and latched on to Wilson's through-ball to beat Yan for a second time.
Five soon became six as Bale struck his landmark 29th goal for Wales, being given all the space in the world in the final third to take a long ball under control and sweep it into the back of the net.
Giggs used the remainder of the game to bring on a number of fringe players, including debutant Chris Mepham, while another sub in Lee Evans sent a headed chance over the crossbar.
Only a world-class save from Hennessey prevented Yu Hanchao from pulling back a consolation for the Golden Dragons, who are now winless in six games and must pick themselves up for Monday's third-place playoff.
Wales, meanwhile, will face the winners of tomorrow's Uruguay versus Czech Republic clash in the China Cup final.
CHINA (4-2-3-1) Yan Junling; Wang Shenchao (Xuepeng Li 46'), Feng Xiaoting (Hanwen Deng 71'), He Guan (Yiming Liu 46'), Zheng Zheng; Hao Junmin, Huang Bowen (Chao He 46'); Wu Lei, Yu Dabao (Xuri Zhao 46'), Wei Shihao; Gao Lin (Hanchao Yu 46')
WALES (3-5-3): Hennessey; Gunter, Williams, Chester (Lockyer 71'), Davies (Mepham 70'), John; Allen (Evans 63'), King; Wilson (Watkins 71'), Bale (Woodburn 63'), Vokes (Bradshaw 63')
No Data Analysis info
