As the UK votes to leave the EU, two home nations face off in the European Cup; Wales and Northern Ireland, both striding through their maiden tournament.
You might just hear it, over the sound of the ball rustling into the net, the scraping of studs through wet turf, and the whooping of an enraptured international viewership; over the channel, the UK is tearing itself into ruin.
And here, in Paris, we will see the congress of two sets of players representing two of the parties involved, Wales and Northern Ireland, both home nations – whose citizens voted, respectively, for and against exiting the EU – enjoying their first ever Euro finals. As much as the noise reverberating out of England and through Europe has dominated the thoughts of the continent, Euro 2016 is still very much in full flight, and the prospects of these two nations are just a small portion of what is shaping up to be a juicy set of knockout stages.
Wales, with Gareth Bale, are the favourites here, and are arriving in the Round of 16 bolstered by their group-winning performance against Russia. Northern Ireland, thanks to a narrow loss to Germany, scraped through to the knockout stage as one of the best third-placed sides. Both are now on the glaringly inferior side of the draw – Spain, Italy, France, Germany and England are all on the other side – and can now dream of a place in the quarter finals.
Key Battle – Gareth Bale vs Michael McGovern
There are two players who will take part in this battle of the minnows who have a reasonable claim to being included in the tournament’s thus-far best XI. Naturally, Gareth Bale, the joint-top scorer and all-around supreme superstar has earned his with his decisive input for Wales, but Michael McGovern – a man currently without a club – produced the goalkeeping performance of the tournament in the last round, producing a hatful of remarkable stops against Germany. And it wasn’t just for show; Northern Ireland’s goal difference being two goals superior to Turkey’s meant they, and not the Turks, progressed.
11 – Here is the best XI from the #Euro2016 group stage, based on Opta data. Selection. pic.twitter.com/a9hpWkW9kf
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 23, 2016
McGovern’s work, splendid so far, isn’t over yet. In Bale he will have a foe so unfairly equipped; Bale is perhaps the most athletically gifted player in the competition, is one of the most finely skilled with the ball at his feet, and is the tournament’s most dangerous dead-ball specialist, having scored twice from free kicks already in France. Bale will certainly seize shooting opportunities from this Irish defence, and McGovern will need to recall the form of last round to meet Bale with any hope.
Team News and Expected Lineups
Neither of these teams have any problems with injury or suspensions, and any player with already-accrued bookings lingering over their heads ought really to throw caution to the wind. These nations will have never expected to have progressed this far, with this much optimism for further progress, and so should opt for boldness over caution.
Northern Ireland’s solid centre back partnership of Gareth McAuley and Jonny Evans will return, and Southampton’s Steven Davis will almost certainly retain his midfield spot. One wonders whether Kyle Lafferty will start in the attack, and whether Will Griggs will get the chance to set the field alight.
Wales will likely field a similarly unchanged lineup, with Joe Ledley fit enough to return to the midfield. Bale and Aaron Ramsay will hope to weave their magic, ahead of the excellent Joe Allen. Sam Vokes, boosted by his fine display against Russia, will seek to edge in front of Hal Robson-Kanu in Chris Coleman’s selection thoughts.
Previous Meetings
Wales hold the edge over the Irish, with 15 wins, 12 draws and seven losses. Their last meeting came in March this year, in a friendly that ended 1-1. But now, in the pressurised atmosphere of knockout football, the climate will be utterly different. Whichever team can hold its nerve, and fortify its mettle, will surely prevail.
Prediction
Wales will win, armed as they are with more attacking virtues and better defensive safeguards. 2-0, the final score, and Welsh raptures.
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