A second half Gareth McAuley own goal was enough to send Wales into the quarter finals of Euro 2016 on Saturday afternoon in Paris at the expense of Northern Ireland, with Chris Coleman’s underdogs reaching the last eight in their first ever major international tournament.
It was not the blood and thunder last 16 encounter that many expected, with Northern Ireland setting up specifically to counteract and quash Welsh confidence and swagger. Led by Gareth Bale, a reported £94m transfer target for Manchester United, Wales had finished top of Group B ahead of England, with a resounding 3-0 win over Russia showcasing their growing stature at the Euros.