Wales 1 : 0 Northern Ireland
A Gareth McAuley own goal in the 76th minute settled this island affair. He turned a Gareth Bale cross into his own net with Wales’ Hal Robson-Kanu waiting to pounce. Wales will play Hungary or Belgium in the last eight.
A magnificent atmosphere greeted both teams at the Parc des Princes in Paris. Kyle Lafferty came in for Conor Washington for Michel O’Neill’s side.
Northern Ireland had the better of the first half.
Nine minutes in, a Stuart Dallas effort was saved by Welsh keeper Wayne Hennessey diving to his right albeit at a good height for keepers. Ten minutes later Wales had the ball in the net. Sam Vokes brilliantly won a header in the six yard box. It seemed to be drifting in but Aaron Ramsey poked it home. As he had been standing in an offside position, the goal was rightly chalked off. An impressive Jamie Ward drive saw anther effort tipped over by Hennessey.
Northern Ireland had scored seven of their previous ten goals from free kicks. They had another chance on in the 38th minute after Chris Gunter somewhat foolishly fouled Lafferty when he was posing no threat. Ben Davies in the Wales defence though took control of the situation.
Gareth Bale had been kept relatively quiet for most of the half. When he finally got the ball, Dallas crudely fouled him and picked up the game’s first yellow card, suspending him from the next game should Northern Ireland have progressed.
Northern Ireland fans Photo: Asif Burhan
Wales had nine shots on target in the first half against Russia but trudged off at half time still looking for their first.
Some tougher fouls greeted the second half with Dallas and Wales Ashley Williams penalised early.
From the NI free kick, Northern Ireland tried something fairly elaborate that ended with a drive against Joe Ledley’s knee and a Welsh defensive free kick.
Wales were a better side in the second half. Eight minutes after the interval, a Ramsey cross was badly headed wide by Vokes. It was his last touch. Vokes departed for Hal Robson-Kanu shortly after.
Three minutes later, N. Ireland keeper Michael McGovern saved a Bale free kick.
More substitutions followed. Johnny Williams replaced the tiring Joe Ledley for Wales before N. Ireland’s Jamie Ward left for Conor Washington.
14 minutes from time, tragedy struck for McAuley who turned a Bale cross into own net with Hal Robson-Kanu waiting to pounce. McAuley in his defence had no choice but to play it.
Michael O’Neill threw on Josh Magennis and Niall McGinn for Oliver Norwood and the distraught McAuley in an effort to save the game.
The green shirts threw all they had at their Welsh neighbors but had no counter. The own goal was enough to see the Welshmen through and send the plucky Ulstermen home.
