Ireland defence a challenge for Bale

Parc des Princes, June 24

Wales forward Gareth Bale will find it difficult to break down  Northern Ireland’s defence in the all-British clash at Parc des Princes on Saturday, said Irish striker Kyle Lafferty.

Bale is joint-top scorer at Euro 2016 with three goals after helping Wales to top spot in their group, but will likely come up against a stubborn Irish backline, who have let in seven goals in their last 13 fixtures. “Gareth Bale is a standout player — you don’t play for Real Madrid if you’re an average player —  but I honestly believe we’ve got one of the best defences in the tournament,” said Lafferty . “I don’t think they’ve been given enough praise for what they’ve done. It’s going to be a tough game but hopefully we’ll be celebrating at the end.” Northern Ireland played out a 1-1 draw with Wales in March and Lafferty said he felt the fighting spirit in Michael O’Neill’s squad will see them win on Saturday.

“We played against Wales three or four months ago, we know about their players,” the 28-year-old said. “It’s going to be a tough game, they’ve got some world-class players, but with our heart and determination we honestly believe that we can go on and beat anyone.” — Reuters