“The third game is always a team selection headache because now we’ve got players who played two matches in the space of a short period of time”, Hodgson said.
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“When the chances don’t go in and you’ve compounded your task by conceding that Gareth Bale goal, it really is a happy moment when both the substitutes score”.
Bale, Welsh antagoniser-in-chief in the build-up to the game, had been a peripheral figure, save for a shot that was blocked by Cahill, but three minutes before half-time he strode onto centre-stage.
That is exactly what England boss Roy Hodgson did in the crunch Euro 2016 encounter with Wales, throwing Jamie Vardy and Daniel Sturridge into the fray with devastating impact.
After Vardy had restored parity shortly after the break, Manchester United youngster Marcus Rashford made his bow at a major tournament as a re-energised England threw everything at Chris Coleman’s side.
“Russia have got experience, they will be hurting after the defeat against Slovakia”.
Coleman wants Wales to remain focused on their own objectives now the hotly-anticipated England game is out of the way and would like to emulate Roy Hodgson’s side. The danger with this one is everyone was looking at it from the outside as the Battle of Britain.
“I felt my calf tightening up a bit during half time and once I got a bang on it, it stiffened up a bit”.
He went for broke and showed why, despite England’s underwhelming performances at recent tournaments, I believe he remains the best man for the role.
“Of the 23 players, the ones not selected will feel hard done by”.
“Wherever we play our fans are nice and loud and sometimes they can be the 12th man”. Wayne Hennessey didn’t have to pull off save after save so it was gut-wrenching for the players and our supporters.
Wales would also qualify for the last 16 by avoiding defeat to Russian Federation and Slovakia failing to beat England.
The England reverse means Wales’s qualification hopes are in the balance heading into Monday’s group deciders.
“I think it is whichever team is able to put the disappointments behind them from this middle game will be the ones to prevail”.
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“Watching France play Albania last night it was a similar situation where (Paul) Pogba and (Antoine) Griezmann came on the field and that helped the French to get the victory they looked like they might be denied by a well-organised Albania team”. I could have played on, but the lads said not to risk it.
