Wales vs Northern Ireland: Simon Church ensures Welsh can enjoy Good Friday after late equaliser
Wales 1 Northern Ireland 1: Penalty denies Michael O’Neill’s side first win over their hosts in 36 years
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Your support makes all the difference.Chris Coleman reckons he has “sussed out” England ahead of the European Championships this summer but Roy Hodgson will hardly be losing sleep after this Wales display.
Gareth Bale’s absence was keenly felt as a half-strength Wales side needed Simon Church’s late penalty to avoid defeat at home.
It denied Northern Ireland a first win over Wales in 36 years, though Michael O’Neill still matched Billy Bingham’s record of nine games unbeaten with Northern Ireland.
On this performance, however, few of either side’s group rivals in France will be fretting as Northern Ireland looked susceptible to pace and Wales lacked a driving force.
Coleman and O’Neill took radically different approaches to this, the first of their three warm-up games before they finalise their plans and squad for a historic summer.
Bale, Aaron Ramsey and Ben Davies were among several missing Welshmen so Coleman took the opportunity to experiment against opposition supposed to mimic their “Battle of Britain” against England in Lens.
The Northern Ireland manager O’Neill sought to build continuity and confidence with his own selection.
The QPR striker Conor Washington made his international debut and Manchester United’s Patrick McNair played in an advanced role in midfield, though both had limited effect early on.
George Williams wasted little time to impress with a curling cross within the opening minute, which deserved a final touch, and Chris Gunter again exposed Stuart Dallas just a moment later but Sam Vokes – pressing to regain his place ahead of Hal Robson-Kanu – headed wide.
David Cotterill came closest to opening the scoring when he struck his free-kick low and hard, leaving Michael McGovern at full stretch.
It was a concern for Liverpool’s Welsh goalkeeper Dan Ward replaced Wayne Hennessey at half-time for his debut and was swiftly off his line to deny Kyle Lafferty when the striker profited from a rebound.
Jamie Ward, also a half-time substitute, gave Northern Ireland an option on the right they had been lacking and it was the Nottingham Forest winger who won the corner that brought the first goal.
Wales dealt with the first delivery but lacked conviction when McNair floated in a second. Skipper Steven Davis beat Tom Lawrence to the clearance and Craig Cathcart showed a wonderful poacher’s instinct for a defender, smashing home his second goal in three internationals.
It provoked changes by Coleman and a response from Wales as Joe Allen and Jonathan Williams injected purpose into the midfield.
However, Wales lacked the touch of class that would convert a host of half-chances and Cathcart possessed an equally fine touch in his own penalty area.
Pressure finally told in the 89th minute when Church went down under a challenge from Gareth McAuley and got up to equalise from the penalty spot to ensure a draw that will satisfy and frustrate in equal measure.
Wales (4-2-3-1): Hennessey (Ward 45); Gunter, Chester, A Williams (c), Matthews; Vaughan (Allen 71), Ledley (Crofts 45); G Williams (Isgrove 62), Lawrence (J Williams 62), Cotterill; Vokes (Church 75)
Northern Ireland (3-5-2): McGovern; Cathcart, McAuley, Evans (Lafferty 73); McLaughlin (Hughes 80), McNair (Paton 73), Davis (c), Norwood, Dallas (Ferguson 89); Washington (Ward 45), Lafferty (McKay 80)
Referee Steven McLean (Scotland).
Speedy Anya seals victory as Scotland hold out against Czech Republic
Ikechi Anya’s first-half strike gave Scotland victory in their friendly against the Czech Republic in Prague.
The hosts had hit the woodwork before the Watford winger raced on to a Ross McCormack pass in the 10th minute to drive low past Tomas Necid.
The Czechs fought back fiercely and Scotland goalkeeper Allan McGregor was peppered with attempts on goal but managed to keep the home side at bay with a string of saves.
Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea was kept busy as defending champions Spain began their Euro 2016 preparations with a 1-1 draw against Italy in Udine.
Substitute Lorenzo Insigne fired Italy in front in the 68th minute, sliding in to meet Emanuele Giaccherini’s cross. It was the first goal Spain had conceded in nearly 700 minutes.
Italy’s lead lasted just two minutes before Aritz Aduriz levelled with his first international goal, tapping in the rebound after Gianluigi Buffon had parried a header by Alvaro Morata, who appeared to be offside.
Euro 2016 qualifiers Iceland suffered a blow in their preparations for their first major tournament as they were beaten 2-1 by Denmark.
Harry Redknapp’s first match in charge of Jordan ended in an 8-0 thrashing of Bangladesh in a World Cup qualifying match. Jordan went into the match second in Asia Group B, two points behind Australia, who they face on Tuesday.
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