Gunter: I can gain from pain

CHRIS GUNTER will equal Gary Speed’s appearance record for Wales tonight after battling two of his biggest disappointments.

The dependable Reading full-back (above) has experienced agony in 2017 for both club and country.

He was part of the Royals’ side who lost a penalty shoot-out in the Premier League play-off final to Huddersfield in May.

Then he saw his World Cup dreams go up in smoke last month as they lost the final qualifier to Ireland.

But Gunter will be smiling when he gets the armband for the friendly against World Cup-bound Panama for his 85th cap, just seven short of record-holder Neville Southall in goal.

Gunter said: “In terms of those, they are right up there in disappointments. They’re two of the biggest defeats in my career.

“But as a footballer your job is to put your boots back on and get on with it.” Wales: Ward, Gunter, Chester, Davies, Taylor, Allen, Ampadu, Edwards, Brooks, Woodburn, Lawrence. Panama: Penedo, Murillo, Baloy, Escobar, Ovalle, Vargas, Heraldez, Avila, Cooper, Perez, Torres.