Griez slips in double
Wilson delivers superb free-kick winner to pile the pressure on O’Neill
ANTOINE GRIEZMANN’S double rescued France and left Germany facing relegation to League B.
Toni Kroos put Joachim Loew’s side in front from the spot, following Presnel Kimpembe’s handball.
But France equalised as Griezmann stretched to score a superb header from Lucas Hernandez’s cross.
And Griezmann won it with a penalty on 80 minutes after Mats Hummels was harshly adjudged to have brought down Blaise Matuidi. UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE League A, Group 1
France (0) 2 Germany (1) 1 League B, Group 1
Ukraine (1) 1 Czech Rep (0) 0 League B, Group 4
REP OF IRELAND (0) 0 WALES (0) 1 Wilson 58
League C, Group 3
Norway (1) 1 Bulgaria (0) 0 Slovenia (0) 1 Cyprus (1) 1 League D, Group 1
Kazakhstan (2) 4 Andorra (0) 0 Latvia (0) 0 Georgia (2) 3 League D, Group 4
Armenia (1) 4 Macedonia (0) 0 Gibraltar (0) 2 Liechtenstein (1) 1 INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLIES Belgium (1) 1 Holland (1) 1 Brazil (0) 1 Argentina (0) 0 Denmark (1) 2 Austria (0) 0 Sweden (0) 1 Slovakia (0) 1 EUROPEAN UNDER-21 CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFYING Group 2: N Ireland U21 (0) 1 Slovakia U21 (0) 0
Group 4: Scotland U21 (0) 0 England U21 (0) 2
Group 5: Germany U21 (2) 2 Rep of Ireland U21 (0) 0
Group 8: Wales U21 (2) 3 Switzerland U21 (0) 1
EFL TROPHY
BURY (1) 2
Telford 4, 67
Att: 454
PORT VALE (1) 2 MIDDLESBRO U21 (0) 0 Miller 6 Att: 554 Rawlinson 66
EVO-STIK PREMIER CENTRAL Barwell (0) 2 Banbury (1) 1 Leiston (1) 1 King’s Lynn (4) 5 Needham (0) 1 Lowestoft (0) 0 Redditch (1) 2 Rushall (1) 1 Royston (2) 5 St Neots (0) 0 St Ives (0) 0 Biggleswade (0) 1 Tamworth (0) 0 Kettering (0) 0 BOSTIK PREMIER
AFC Hornchurch (0) 1 Lewes (3) 5 Bognor Regis (1) 2 Folkestone (3) 4 Burgess Hill (0) 0 Wingate & F (0) 1 Enfield (0) 0 Brightlingsea (0) 0 EVO-STIK PREMIER NORTH Farsley (3) 3 Bamber Bridge (2) 2 Grantham (1) 2 Nantwich (1) 3 Hednesford (0) 0 Lancaster (1) 1 Hyde (2) 4 South Shields (0) 1 Mickleover (0) 0 Matlock (0) 0 Scarborough (2) 4 Buxton (0) 0 Workington (1) 1 Whitby (0) 2 EVO-STIK PREMIER SOUTH Beaconsfield (3) 7 Chesham (0) 0 Dorchester (1) 1 Taunton (2) 2 Gosport Boro (2) 3 Poole (0) 2 Salisbury FC (1) 2 Merthyr (0) 0 Swindon (3) 4 Farnborough (1) 2 Tiverton (1) 1 Weymouth (0) 2 Walton (1) 3 Staines (0) 1 Wimborne (2) 3 Frome (1) 2 LEICESTER U21 (1) 1 Shade 21
2nd TEST (day 1 of 5)
Abu Dhabi: Pakistan 282 (S Ahmed 94, F Zaman 94, N Lyon 4-78) v Australia 20-2
ENGLISH OPEN, Crawley, 1st Rnd (selected): J Higgins (Sco) bt L Yuan (Chn) 4-1, J White (Eng) bt L Haotian (Chn) 4-2, M Allen (NIrl) bt A Hamilton (Eng) 4-2, S Bingham (Eng) bt D Jones (Wal) 4-0, J Trump (Eng) bt
R Hull (Fin) 4-1
3rd ONE DAY INTERNATIONAL Pallekele: S Lanka v England (10)
INTERNATIONAL England v France (7.45) HARRY WILSON showed his star quality with a trademark free-kick winner – to leave Ireland boss Martin O’Neill fighting for his job.
Not for the first time this season Wilson pinged home a spectacular free-kick in a huge stadium.
The Liverpool star, on loan at Derby, netted a classic League Cup strike at Old Trafford to level the tie in September before the Rams won a penalty shoot-out against Manchester United.
At the Aviva Stadium, the 21-year-old, winning his sixth cap, struck Wales a 58th-minute winner.
Lighting up a dour game, Harry Arter left a leg in late to foul Connor Roberts 25 yards out, and Wilson curled the ball over the wall.
His cause was helped by Ireland keeper Darren Randolph skipping the wrong way as it was hit. O’Neill is facing questions over his future, although it is a struggle to think of who would do any better with such a limited squad.
Five defeats in their last nine games over 12 months is miserable for Ireland, with just one win in June against the USA. They were jeered off the pitch.
This was Giggs’ investment in youth, and just like England boss Gareth Southgate’s, it is paying an early dividend.
In the absence of Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey Giggs threw in his youngsters with a front five with an average age under 21.
They had only won three competitive games without Bale since his debut and this was what Giggs called Plan B. It meant teenager Tyler Roberts started up front, with 21-year-olds David Brooks and Wilson creating and Matthew Smith, 18, in midfield.
Even with skipper Ashley Williams, 34, leading the back four, the starting XI average aged was under 25, with seven plying their trade in the Championship.
After taking the lead Wales grew in confidence, and ran Ireland ragged in the latter stages, finding space and offering threat.
But inexperience on show in the ninth minute when Smith, under pressure by a pass from James Chester,
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: WALES: REFEREE: MOTM tried to turn on the edge of Wales’ box. He was robbed by Cyrus Christie, who had time but took an early curling shot which was wellsaved by Wayne Hennessey.
But Wales settled, tried to play a passing game, and were clearly the better side.
The victory could have been more decisive, with Chester shaving the post with a header.
Wilson’s youthful fitness shone through late in the game too, with one jinking run into the box before going close. Brooks’ ball-carrying also stretched worn-out Ireland and teed up Roberts for a shot. Ireland had twice as many Premier League players as Wales starting but still struggled.
The half-time entertainment was a walking football demonstration, leaving the Aviva crowd to insert their own joke at the expense of the home side.
For Giggs and Wales, the future looks bright.
MATCH STATS