KEEPER RANDOLPH IS IRELAND’S BACKSTOP IN STALEMATE

RYAN GIGGS admits the pain of losing helps drive him on after revealing cup final defeats haunt him.

The Manchester United legend is preparing Wales for a crunch Nations League tie at home to Denmark tonight, which he has described as a “Cup final”.

Victory will see the Dragons top Group B4 and secure promotion to Group A to face Europe’s best international sides.

Rookie boss Giggs is determined to prevail after a glittering playing career with 34 major trophies for United, including the Treble in 1999.

But the 44-year-old former winger, who made 963 appearances for the Reds, admits some Cup final defeats are burned in his memory.

These include the 1995 FA Cup final 1-0 to Everton and the 2009 Champions League final in Rome 2-0 to Barcelona.

Giggs admitted: “The ones I lost, they stand out more than the ones I won. Nou Camp in ’99 was amazing, best feeling I have ever had on the football DARREN RANDOLPH rescued a draw for Martin O’Neill’s Republic on a night when their neighbours were left ruing missed chances. pitch, but in ’95 (above, right) losing against Everton was one of the biggest disappointments of my life. And also Rome in 2009, when we lost against Barcelona.

“Wembley when we lost against Barcelona in 2011 you hold your hands up because they were a very good team, perhaps the best I have faced.

“But Rome was a little bit different, we started actually favourites in that game. We just didn’t turn up. But it happens Live on Sky Sports Main Event from 7pm Northern Ireland almost struck the first blow with 14 minutes gone after Shane Duffy misjudged Steven Davis’ ball forward and Liam Boyce hooked on for Stuart Dallas to find Gavin Whyte in space, but the midfielder’s in football – you can’t win every game. We would all like to, but it’s more about taking something out of those defeats and making sure it doesn’t happen again.

“It is not fear of failure, everybody fails at one point, but it is how you combat it and stop it from happening and how you come back.”

Giggs, appointed in January, admits that he is very “inexperienced” compared to his counterpart tonight Age shot was blocked by the advancing Randolph.

Seconds later, there was blood spilled when Seamus Coleman and Boyce clashed heads and both needed treatment.

Northern Ireland keeper Hareide. The Denmark coach, 65, has been on the touchline for more than 30 years since first bossing Molde in 1985.

Giggs said: “You recognise he is a very experienced manager with a good set of players but it is more about where you can hurt them.”

Tonight’s game at the Cardiff City Stadium is a 33,000 sell-out unlike Giggs’ first home game Bailey Peacock-Farrell had to tip a 21st-minute Duffy effort over after the defender headed Robbie Brady’s freekick rather too firmly into the turf, but the visitors continued to enjoy the better of the first half. to Ireland in September, which attracted 25,657. Wales skipper Ashley Williams reckons fans have now embraced Giggs after some criticism of his appointment following his international record as a player.

He missed 30 out of 40 possible Wales friendlies, failing to make a single friendly appearance in 16 games between 1991 to 2000.

Williams said: “They do sing his name a lot in games.

“The gaffer’s come in, we have been in good form, we have been winning games and performing well.

“They seem to have taken to the change of team and change of manager, so it’s not a problem.

“The fans seem like they’re enjoying it at the minute. “We are looking forward to the game – a Friday night in Cardiff. International nights under the lights are always a special occasion.

“I’m sure the fans will come out, make a lot of noise and give us that boost that they always do when we need it in the games. Hopefully we can repay them with a win and a good performance.” Randolph saved the Republic on 73 minutes with a glorious stop. Sub Jordan Jones (right) stole the ball off a dithering Darragh Lenihan and seemed certain to score, but Randolph kept him out with his feet. INTERNATIONALS

ENGLAND (2) 3

Lingard 25 Alexander-Arnold 27

Wilson 77

GERMANY (3) 3

Sane 8, Sule 25

Gnabry 40

REP OF IRELAND (0) 0 N IRELAND (0) 0 UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE Group A2: Belgium 2 Iceland 0 A4: Croatia 3 Spain 2

B3: Austria 0 Bosnia-Herzegovina 0

C2: Greece 1 Finland 0, Hungary 2 Estonia 0

D1: Andorra 1 Georgia 1, Kazakhstan 1 Latvia 1

D2: Luxembourg 0 Belarus 2, San Marino 0 Moldova 1 UNDER-21s INTERNATIONAL ITALY (1) 1 ENGLAND (1) 2 Kean 42 Solanke 8, 53 USA (0) 0 Att: 68,155

SECOND TEST, Pallekele England 290 & 0-0 v Sri Lanka 336 (A Silva 85)

ATP FINALS, O2 Arena, London Singles: D Thiem (Aut) bt K Nishikori (Jpn) 6-1 6-4, R Federer (Sui) bt K Anderson (Rsa) 6-4 6-3 Doubles: J Murray (Gbr) &B Soares (Bra) bt H Kontinen (Fin) & J Peers (Aus) 3-6 7-6 10-3, J-S Cabal (Col) & R Farah (Col) bt R Klaasen (Rsa) & M Venus (Nzl) 6-3 7-6

NORTHERN IRELAND OPEN Belfast, 3rd Round (selected) A Carter (Eng) bt X Guodong (Chn) 4-2, P Ebdon (Eng) bt M Davis (Eng) 4-1, M Selby (Eng) bt H Akbar (Pak) 4-0, L Brecel (Bel) bt G Wilson (Eng) 4-2, H Li (Chn) bt N Robertson (Aus) 4-0, R Williams (Eng) bt S Lam (Eng) 4-1, R O’Sullivan (Eng) bt T Ford (Eng) 4-0

BWIN GRAND SLAM OF DARTS Wolverhampton, 2nd Round

J Clayton (Wal) bt K Ratajski (Pol) 10-3, M Unterbuchner (Ger) bt J Wade (Eng) 10-6, G Anderson (Sco) bt W Harms (Ned) 10-2

(7.45pm unless stated)

UEFA Nations League Group A1: Netherlands v France B1: Slovakia v Ukraine

B4: Wales v Denmark

C3: Cyprus v Bulgaria, Slovenia v Norway

D4: Gibraltar v Armenia, Liechtenstein v FYR Macedonia

Gallagher Premiership Gloucester v Leicester, Harlequins v Newcastle

Women’s World T20, Gros Islet England v South Africa (8)