Wales’ win over Russian Federation saw them leapfrog England in Group B to advance into a last 16 clash with Northern Ireland or Turkey.
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While Chris Coleman is delighted with Wales’ progression, he’s urging them to continue their fighting spirit.
“We know it’s our job to win the one-on-ones against opposing strikers”. If they can win free kicks in the attacking third as well as some corners they may be able to bring the big bodies forward and turn set pieces into goals.
Real Madrid star Gareth Bale has been the star performer for Wales.
On the face of it Wales are clear favourites for the game against Northern Ireland at the Parc des Princes in Paris.
With 1-0 losses to both Poland and Germany and a 2-0 win over Ukraine, Northern Ireland finished 3rd in Group C with 3 points and an even goal differential.
Wales’s Gareth Bale, left, clasps hands with Wales’s Chris Gunter during the Euro 2016 Group B soccer match between Russian Federation and Wales at the Stadium municipal in Toulouse, France, Monday, June 20, 2016.
Wales lost 2-1 to England in Lens last week, but their emphatic 3-0 victory over Russian Federation and the failure of Roy Hodgson’s side to beat Slovakia saw them top the group. Quotes of 6/1 (7.0) with Betway offer a much larger price than is usually available.
Gareth Bale believes Wales have the bragging rights over England after winning their group at Euro 2016. “We’re focused to get it done”, Hummels said. The Northern Irish haven’t bee overly impressive and head into this game as underdogs and rightfully so as Wales has been playing very well and came out of a group that featured England, Slovakia, and Russian Federation which is not an easy mark by any stretch.
The 31-year-old was told he “looked a lot like Michael McGovern” during some down time in Lyon last week and jokingly informed that Northern Ireland supporter he often gets that – a refrain he will not need to make following events at the Parc des Princes.
“They had no chances, but we needed to have had more objective and consistency in front of goal”, Loew said.
They are in the opposite side of the draw to England, current world champions Germany, reigning European champions Spain, four-time World Cup winners Italy and hosts France.
“We can’t think about Belgium”, Bale said. Maybe it is more favorable. We’ll upset a few teams.
The two countries drew 1-1 in Cardiff back in March in a contest that was far more serene than one Hughes played in 12 years earlier, when Robbie Savage was sent off for the first time in his career for reacting to a Michael Hughes tackle which also earned the Northern Irishman a red card.
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“We know more about Northern Ireland than Albania or Turkey and obviously we are happy with the draw”.
