BALE BELTER SPARKS ROUT
Giggs boys run riot to bury Ireland
WALES
Lawrence 6, Bale 18, Ramsey 37, C Roberts 55
REP OF IRELAND
Williams 66
TheRe is every chance Ryan Giggs would be in a different job had Gareth Bale not been sitting in the stands for this same fixture in October. That was a World Cup qualifier won 1-0 by Ireland, eliminating Chris Coleman’s Wales. Bale was injured that night and, by the time of his return, Coleman was gone and Giggs had finally found employment as a manager, 18 months after leaving the coaching staff of Manchester United.
how different history may have proved had Bale been available to do what he did to Ireland in the nations League here. The Real Madrid forward was unplayable, inspiring his country to their first victory over the Irish since 1992 and doing much to ease local scepticism around Giggs in his first competitive fixture.
‘They gave me everything I wanted,’ said the 44-year- old boss. ‘They expressed themselves and trusted each other on the ball. It gives everyone a lift when Gareth plays. he’s a great example of the level you have to get to.’
It is just as well Sunday’s opponents Denmark have resolved their dispute over image rights and will field their senior stars rather than the part-timers, for the accountant who doubled as a defender would have needed a calculator to keep track of the score had Bale been unleashed on them.
Bale, though, was rivalled for man- ofthe-match honours by a 17-year-old who looks a Galactico in the making. Chelsea midfielder ethan Ampadu has played more times for his country than he has in the Premier League but, after displays of authority and maturity such as this, that will soon change.
how Ireland boss Martin O’neill must wish he had a youngster of Ampadu’s calibre to call on. he does in the form of 19-year- old Declan Rice, but despite winning three caps in friendlies he is considering an offer from england. If he was watching this, it would have done little to persuade him to return.
O’neill could well find himself under pressure ahead of euro 2020 qualifying proper in March if results — and performances — are as dire as this.
‘It was a tough night. We were well beaten, second best all evening,’ said O’neill. ‘But it helps when you have a world-class player in Gareth Bale.’
Bale set the tone from kick-off. not with
a dribble or shot but by charging down a clearance and winning a throw-in. It was a simple statement of intent but one the rest of his team duly endorsed.
Ireland were still trying to find their breath when Tom Lawrence blasted the hosts in front on six minutes.
Wales were as good as two up from the moment Bale cushioned Ben Davies’s pass with his chest on the angle of the area on 18 minutes. He still had two defenders and the goalkeeper to negotiate but made it look easy, curling effortlessly into the far corner.
Bale even played a one-two with an unwitting opponent minutes later. It was as if he was one second ahead of his team-mates and at least three ahead of Ireland’s sorry bunch.
But not far behind him was Ampadu. He shoved Jon Walters — a player twice his age — off the ball with force but fairness on halfway and drove forward before slipping in Aaron Ramsey for the third on 37 minutes. It was 4-0 when Bale teed up Connor Roberts for a fine volley 10 minutes into the second half and Shaun Williams’s consolation strike did little to take the shine off the evening for Giggs and his team.
A part of him must be relieved Bale was missing in October. WALES (4-2-3-1): Hennessey 6; C Roberts 7, Williams 6, Mepham 6, Davies 7 (Dummett 81min); Allen 7, Ampadu 8 (Smith 67, 6); Brooks 6.5, Ramsey 7, Lawrence 7.5; BALE 8.5 (T Roberts 75, 5). Scorers: Lawrence 6, Bale 18, Ramsey 37, C Roberts 55. Booked: None. Manager: Ryan Giggs 7. REPUBLIC OF IRELAND (4-4-2): Randolph 4; Coleman 6, Duffy 5, Clark 4, Ward 5 (Stevens 61, 5); Christie 5, Hourihane 5 (Williams 66, 5), Hendrick 5, O’Dowda 5; Robinson 5 (Horgan 77), Walters 5. Scorer: Williams 66. Booked: Clark. Manager: Martin O’Neill 5. Referee: Clement Turpin (Fra) 7. Attendance: 25,657.