Wales progressed to the quarter finals for the first time in their history thanks to a Gareth McAuley own goal in a slim 1-0 win in Paris over Northern Ireland.
Action got underway in the French capital with an opening 45 minutes that passed by without any real major incidents, with a measly three shots on target combined from either side.
The second half was mostly one-way traffic, with Northern Ireland dominating large portions of the first 25 minutes, and Wales only managing the occasional counter-attack. However, it was Wales who struck the fatal blow, an unfortunate Gareth McAuley own goal off a Gareth Bale cross consigning Northern Ireland to a slim defeat.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
Here are three major talking points to come out of the match:
Wales under pressure is not the Wales we expect
The Dragons looked shell-shocked by the significant occasion, spending a fair portion of the match on the back foot, cleaning up their own mistakes against a Northern Ireland side that was seemingly underestimated by the Welsh. It was not until well into the second half that Wales finally started to warm up to the game and look more confident on the ball, thanks in part to the substitution of Johnny Williams, who created a large amount of space in the midfield. Despite Wales managing to secure a win and passage into the final eight, the Dragons were forced to play the game of the Green and White Army, and this resulted in a more stilted showing than Chris Coleman would have expected from the side. If Wales want to continue further, they need to beat those nerves a lot quicker than they did in this match.
Bale shows up when he needs to
Gareth Bale had a relatively quiet game compared to the rest of his tournament so far, but once again he proved that he is crucial to the success of the Welsh side. Bale provided Wales with the best chance of the first 70 minutes, with a curling free kick being denied by a solid save from Michael McGovern. However, it was his cross into the box that secured Wales a lonesome goal, his ball connecting with the leg of Northern Irish defender Gareth McAuley and deflecting into the net. Yet again, this match was decided by Bale’s influence and although it was arguably his worst showing in the Championships to date, it proved that Bale shows up precisely when he needs to, and thankfully for Wales, he showed up yet again in the final stages of this match.
Heartbreak for Northern Ireland
There are few things in football that hurt more than seeing your side eliminated off the back of an own goal. Unfortunately for Northern Ireland that will be the sentiment felt by the nation after Gareth McAuley’s own goal sent the Green and White Army packing from their first ever European Championships. However, Northern Ireland can be extremely proud of how they played throughout the tournament, with players like Michael McGovern and Johnny Evans playing out of their skins to help them sneak out of a group they were widely expected to finish the bottom of. But what will be missed most of all are the Northern Irish supporters, who were a class example of what the Championships should be about. Whether it was the fans screaming chants about Will Grigg or singing alongside Polish fans, the atmosphere and celebration of football that the Northern Irish brought to France is something all nations should aspire to, and something that will be sorely missed in the latter stages of the tournament.
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