Welsh dragons roar on as own goal sends Irish home
IT’S next stop Lille as Wales’ Euro 2016 adventure shows no signs of ending.
The Welsh will now head to northern France to face the winners of Belgium and Hungary on Friday night with a place in the semi-finals at stake and they will continue to dream, but the party is over for Michael O’Neill’s men.
There was little to separate the two Home Nations in Paris but the result was all that mattered. And it was an unfortunate own goal from Gareth McAuley with 15 minutes left that decided the match.
Both nations have relished their return to tournament football after a combined absence of 88 years, but this last- 16 clash was unchartered territory.
Wales had not expected to top their group ahead of England, while simply getting out of theirs was a glorious bonus for Northern Ireland.
But the happy-go-lucky attitude that had taken them this far had changed for this derby, the first ever in the knockout stages of a major tournament.
The Welsh were hoping to reach the last eight, just as they had done at their last major finals in the 1958 World Cup.
While this fixture fell on the 34th anniversary of the most famous moment in Northern Ireland’s footballing history when Gerry Armstrong scored the winner against hosts Spain at the 1982 World Cup.
Chris Coleman had kept the same Welsh team that had dismantled Russia, but O’Neill made one switch as Kyle Lafferty, the talisman with seven goals during the qualifiers, was brought back as the lone front man.
The countries had contested a low- key warm-up game in Cardiff in March, which ended in a 1-1 draw, but Wales had an ace up their sleeves from that last meeting in Gareth Bale.
Cardiff and Belfast had descended upon Paris and the Parc des Princes was a riot of red at one end and green and white at the other, as each set of supporters created a wonderful atmosphere.
That was no surprise and neither was the cagey start to proceedings, with so much at stake and neither country used to this level.
But Northern Ireland settled quicker and were the first to threaten as a good move ended with Stuart Dallas having his shot pushed behind by Wayne Hennessey.
Moments later, Bale had his first chance to run at the opposition and despite the close attention of three defenders, he delivered a cross to which Aaron Ramsey
couldn’t get a touch to trouble Michael McGovern.
The Arsenal man then had the ball in the net, as he turned home a header from Sam Vokes, but it was correctly ruled out for offside.
The Northern Irish were showing more attacking intent than during their three group games, and Hennessey had to tip over a fierce drive from Jamie Ward.
Wales had already had one “Battle of Britain” against the English in the groups, but despite that, they appeared the more nervous team.
And they just couldn’t get their star men into the game enough as O’Neill’s well-drilled defence held firm.
The game had enjoyed no blood- and-thunder but that changed just before the break as Dallas was booked for a late challenge on Bale.
And the Leeds winger was a nervous man when he brought down Chris Gunter minutes after the interval but English referee Martin Atkinson opted for a quiet word rather than a second yellow card.
The game was crying out for a bit of
quality and Ramsey produced it as he sent over a teasing cross. Unfortunately Vokes couldn’t match it as he put his header the wrong side of the post.
Then Bale won himself a free-kick and he nearly delivered another one of his specials, but McGovern, fresh from his heroics against Germany, made a fine save.
By this stage, both managers had turned to their bench to freshen things up with Coleman sending on Hal Robson-Kanu and Jonny Williams, with O’Neill opting for Conor Washington.
With chances at a premium, it was either going to be a moment of inspiration or a mistake that would produce a goal.
And it was that man Bale who forced the decisive error. The Real Madrid star was found in space on the left and flashed over a dangerous low ball.
McAuley had to deal with it as Robson-Kanu was lurking behind him but his outstretched leg only succeeded in turning the ball into his own net.
Northern Ireland threw on extra attackers in pursuit of an equaliser, but it wasn’t to be and Wales hung on for victory.