Coleman expects ‘firecracker’ when Wales meet England for first time in major finals

England and Wales will come up against each other for a “firecracker of a game” in Euro 2016 with the two British teams to meet for the first time in a major tournament.

Roy Hodgson says England will approach the match in Lens full of respect for Chris Coleman’s Wales side, not least for Gareth Bale, with Russia and Slovakia also drawn in Group B.

It was a draw Coleman had been hoping to avoid, but not as daunting as Northern Ireland’s – drawn in Group C with world champions Germany, Poland and Ukraine – nor that of Martin O’neill’s Republic of Ireland side who face Belgium, currently top of the Fifa world rankings, Sweden and Italy in Group E.

England v Wales will be on Thursday 16 June, the second match for each of the teams, and England boss Hodgson – who sold Coleman to Fulham when he was Blackburn manager – said his team would be full of respect for the Welsh, and not least Real Madrid star Bale.

Hodgson said: “The Wales game is the one that’s going to excite the imagination. Wales are a very good team and Chris has done a fantastic job – I have been very impressed with them.

“They have a very strong spine, Ashley Williams has done a magnificent job at centre-half, Aaron Ramsey is there and Chris has put in a lot of players to get the best out of in particu- lar Gareth Bale who is right up there as one of the top players in Europe, that’s why Real Madrid paid so much for him.

“We all know about their threats and they will know about ours. It will be an incredible atmosphere in Lens.”

England kick off their campaign in Marseille on Saturday 11 June against Russia, while Wales’ opener will be in Bordeaux against Slovakia on the same day. Coleman had said before the draw that meeting England in the group would be a distraction, but was relieved it will not be their opening match of the tournament.

He said: “It’s going to be a firecracker, a great game. England are one of the best teams, and we would have wanted to avoid it, but now we just look forward to it. I am very excited, we’re in a group with some hot competition. But that is why we are here, we deserve to be here and I think the tournament will be a fantastic one.”