EURO 2016 LATEST: Northern Ireland v Wales

Striker Kyle Lafferty was handed a start for Northern Ireland’s meeting with fellow home nation Wales in the round-of-16 game at Euro 2016.

Lafferty, who scored seven times in qualifying, had not started since the opening group-stage loss to Poland in Nice but returned in place of Conor Washington in Michael O’Neill’s only change from the side defeated by Germany in the same venue four days earlier.

Chris Coleman selected the same XI which defeated Russia in Toulouse to secure top spot in Group B.

Thirty-four years to the day since Northern Ireland defeated hosts Spain at the 1982 World Cup, Michael O’Neill’s men were once again wearing white at the Parc des Princes.

Gareth Bale was given a licence to roam as ever in the early exchanges and Jonny Evans appeared to have instructions to follow him.

Before the game O’Neill had joked that because of the respective counter-attacking styles of both sides, neither would advance beyond the halfway line in the opening 10 minutes, though 49 seconds prior to the conclusion of that period, Stuart Dallas produced the first attempt on goal.

Jamie Ward picked up the ball on the right-hand side and fed it inside for Corry Evans, who slipped a pass across again to Dallas and his swerving shot was palmed behind by Wayne Hennessey.

Bale broke shortly after and though three white shirts congregated on the Real Madrid forward, his measured cross was almost flicked past Michael McGovern by Aaron Ramsey.

The Arsenal midfielder did make contact with a Sam Vokes head down from Neil Taylor’s cross and, although he put the ball in the net, one of English referee Martin Atkinson’s assistants correctly spotted he was offside.

Half time 0-0

More updates will follow