The supporters of both sides have captured French hearts – Welsh fans charming locals in Bordeaux, Lens and Toulouse; Northern Ireland fans creating the soundtrack to the tournament with their ubiquitous ode to striker Will Grigg.
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While Wales is clearly the favorites to win the match, Chris Coleman’s men can struggle to break teams down when opponents drop deep as Northern Ireland demonstrated against Germany, showing how strong they can be as a defensive unit.
Few will relish facing Bale.
All three teams in the group played scared football against England and relied on crowded penalty areas to frustrate. We must follow the game plan and do what we’re good at.
O’Neill twice pitted his wits against Ronaldo during qualification for the 2014 World Cup, leaving Bale’s club team-mate goalless on his 100th cap – a 1-1 draw in Porto – before being on the receiving end of a hat-trick in a 4-2 Belfast loss. “It’s a bit of a bragging rights that we finished top.it’s always nice to get one over the English”.
“Such is the quality of company we’re in at this tournament, if we ever dared to think the next game is a stepping stone to something, it’s all gone, we’re done, we’ll be on the next plane home”. They are the underdogs, although they have been for nearly every game of O’Neill’s four-year tenure and things have certainly gone better than expected.
“It was a good game for us”, said Coleman.
“I don’t think they’ve been given enough praise for what they’ve done”.
“We’ve not been nervous in any game but the bigger the game, the worse it is if you don’t perform”.
They will start favourites and also have a long unbeaten record against Northern Ireland, stretching back over eight games and 36 years.
The Parc des Princes will be the backdrop to the home nations’ face-off when Northern Ireland face a Welsh team hot off their 3-0 thrashing of Russian Federation.
It is a different story for Michael McGovern, whose heroics in the Northern Ireland goal have earned him a comparison to the great Pat Jennings by coach Michael O’Neill. I remember it, yes, but I want to chase the next one. He’s very comfortable with the ball at his feet, he’s added that.
“He’s a very good goalkeeper and probably could be playing at a higher level”.
The team’s problem is its lack of attacking threat, with only two goals in Group C and Lafferty, who netted seven in qualifying, yet to get off the mark in France.
The winners of the clash will go on to face the victor of Hungary v Belgium in Lille next Friday.
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Gareth Bale has already scored three times for Wales in this tournament and he trades 3/1to score first or 5/4 to net anytime; Connor Washington is a 9/2 anytime bet. Maybe it is more favorable. “But when you get to this stage of a tournament you know you are going to have to deal with special players”. – Wales have lost only two of their eight games at major tournaments, both by a one-goal margin – 1-0 against eventual World Cup victor Brazil in 1958 and the 2-1 reverse against England in Lens. When Northern Ireland traveled to the 1986 World Cup, it left early after failing to advance from the group stage. “Whatever happens, we are loving the journey we’re on, and we know we are not going to face a tougher game than the one against Germany“.
