Cardiff (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Gareth Bale grabbed centre-stage as vibrant Wales tore Ireland apart in the first competitive game of the Ryan Giggs era on Thursday, launching their UEFA Nations League campaign in style with a 4-1 win.
The home side ensured the game was over as a meaningful contest by half-time, blowing Ireland away with goals from Tom Lawrence, Bale and Aaron Ramsey.
With confidence surging, the men in red scored a fourth goal 10 minutes after half-time when Bale set up Connor Roberts, who rifled the ball past Darren Randolph.
Shaun Williams grabbed a consolation when he robbed Ramsey outside his own box and dinked the ball over Wayne Hennessey.
The victory in Cardiff was sweet revenge for Wales, who saw their World Cup hopes ended by Ireland last October.
Manchester United great Giggs put his faith in youth, including 17-year-old Chelsea midfielder Ethan Ampadu and Bournemouth’s David Brooks, 21, in his starting line-up.
Ampadu was particularly impressive and started the move that led to the sixth-minute opener, launching the attack with a raking crossfield ball. Joe Allen supplied the killer pass for Lawrence to lash the ball home.
Just 12 minutes later Real Madrid forward Bale controlled a long pass from Tottenham fullback Ben Davies on his chest before cutting inside and curling a left-foot shot past Randolph from the edge of the box.
Ampadu was again at the heart of the action for Wales’s third goal, surging forward from the halfway line and playing a perfectly timed through-ball to Arsenal’s Ramsey, who finished coolly at the near post.
Roberts’ strike was his first in senior football as confidence surged through the home side and Bale almost added another with an audacious chip.
Seamus Coleman captained Ireland in his first competitive international fixture since suffering a double leg break against Wales in a World Cup qualifier 18 months ago.
