Wales 4-1 Republic of Ireland
Cardiff City Stadium was in a hopeful mood in the leadup to the start of the UEFA Nations League Wales vs Ireland match. Not only did they start their inaugural foray at home soil, it was the debut home match of new Wales manager Ryan Giggs.
Wales vs Ireland odds saw this game as a tight contest, but the squad had other plans. The ecstatic home crowd got more than what they asked for when the Dragons pounded the guests to paste as they won 4-1. Gareth Bale and a handful of youngsters took charge as they exacted revenge on an outclassed Ireland side.
Martin O’Neill can make all the excuses he wants, but he cannot deny that they didn’t have to be mugged they way they did by the hosts. Meanwhile, this was a fine start for Giggs’ Wales, and things are going up for them.
Highlights of the game
The Boys in Green kicked off the ball, but instant pressure from Real Madrid star Gareth Bale was able to turn the ball over. The Dragons tried to get a quick goal in the first 90 seconds with their high-pressure football, but the very physical Irish backline managed to protect the goal dispossess their hosts.
The crowd didn’t have to wait long to celebrate the new era of Welsh football. Tom Lawrence made a brilliant move to lose his marker on six minutes, and Joe Allen set him up for a one-on-one with Darren Randolph. He fired a near-post shot that got past the Middlesbrough stopper, much to the delight of the Welsh crowd.
Ireland soon got their attack together after an early Welsh rampage and began to hold possession of the football more often. Callum O’Dowda tried a long-range shot to surprise Wayne Hennessey, but the shot was blocked and Hennessey was easily able to catch the ball.
While it seemed that Ireland were slowly getting themselves back into the game, Bale made the Dragons’ lead bigger in the 18th minute. Ben Davies dispossessed Ireland near the penalty box and unleashed a long ball to the Galactico to the right. Bale controlled the ball, drifted a bit to the centre, and fired a fine long-range cannon beyond Randolph’s outstretched hands.
The night got even longer for the Irish when Aaron Ramsey dug even a deeper ditch from their guests. Ethan Ampadu made a strong tackle from the centre circle in the 37th minute and made a cutting run through the middle of the Welsh formation. He then placed a good pass to Ramsey, and the Arsenal man finished the goal with two Ireland shirts pressuring him.
Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane probably gave the Irish more harsh words than they could handle, and the Irish came out of the tunnel with more purpose. While they did manage to make dangerous plays at the start, captain Ashley Williams and Ampadu made strong defensive plays.
The game was pretty much killed off when the Dragons produced another fantastic goal during the 55th minute. With all of the attention on Gareth Bale to the left, he passed the ball to an open Connor Roberts. He controlled the ball and fired a beautiful goal.
It was at this point that Wales started showboating and playing around. However, it was during this time that Ireland got a consolation goal. Ramsey mishandled the ball, allowing Shaun Williams to take the ball and dink the ball past the keeper.
The Boys in Green tried their hardest to get another goal off jovial Wales, but that was the last time the backline would allow such a blunder to happen anymore. The two sides played the rest of the game in a deadlock, and the atmosphere erupted to a jovial mood as Wales won 4-1.
Key statistics
The former Manchester United man put a premium on investing time towards the nation’s young talent, and his bold risk paid off in spades. A total of six players under 24 years of age made the pitch. Three of them made a significant impact and graced Wales vs Ireland highlights: Ampadu looked at home beside Ramsey, David Brooks was a constant threat from the wings, and Roberts scored a fantastic goal.
This Welsh side handily beat an Ireland team that didn’t lose an away game during their run in the World Cup qualifiers. They also weren’t beaten in seven of their last eight away matches. This could be seen as a testament to how hard the injury bug hit the team.
While the injury bug can be blamed for the mess, it cannot be denied that Wales won the contents of the game. They had the lion’s share of the ball, had more goal attempts, and forced Randolph to make a whopping four saves.
What’s next?
Denmark will be a great test for Giggs’ Wales, and it will be a real barometer as to whether the Dragons have gotten better for real. Given how this match ended, I am certain that SBOBET fans will be looking into this match with much anticipation.
Meanwhile, Ireland will be trying to get things together as they make the trek to the continental mainland and square off against Poland. They might face another goalscoring threat in Robert Lewandowski, and the Irish better improve their leaky defence if they want to put up a decent fight.
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