The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Wilson goal earns victory in Dublin
Wales pile pressure on Republic boss O’Neill with deserved victory
Harry Wilson curled home a stunning free-kick as Ryan Giggs’ understudies made light of the absence of Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey to deepen the Republic’s woes.
The Derby winger left keeper Darren Randolph rooted to the spot as his 58th-minute strike secured a Nations League win for Wales.
The result piled the pressure on Ireland boss Martin O’Neill amid boos on the final whistle at the Aviva Stadium.
Until that point, an error-strewn game had lumbered along in mundane fashion but once they had their noses in front, Giggs’ youngsters rarely looked like surrendering their lead as the Republic’s lack of creativity was once again cruelly exposed.
O’Neill and assistant Roy Keane will mark five years at the helm next month, when they will need Denmark to lose in Wales and to then record their first win in five competitive matches in Aarhus three days later if they are to avoid relegation from League B.
Shorn of star men Bale, through injury, and Ramsey following the birth of his twins – the first time one of the two had not featured in a competitive game since the latter made his debut in 2008– Giggs sent out his team to play just as they had done in thrashing Ireland 4-1 in Cardiff last month.
They lacked the precision to repeat their heroics in the first half at the Aviva Stadium but still did enough to move to the top of League B Group 4.
l Antoine Griezmann scored twice in the second half as world champions France came from behind to beat Germany 2-1 in their Nations League clash and increase the pressure on Joachim Low.
Germany looked to have produced the required response after a 3-0 defeat in Holland on Saturday, which left them in danger of relegation, as Toni Kroos slotted in a penalty just before the break.
Les Bleus, though, regrouped following the restart, as Griezmann equalised just after the hour with a well-taken looping header.
The Atletico Madrid frontman then kept his cool to convert from the spot with 10 minutes left following a somewhat controversial penalty.
It was a sixth defeat in the past 10 games for Low’s squad, who crashed out of the group stages at the World Cup in Russia and remain bottom of their Nations League table with just one point from three matches.