France and Germany draw Nations League opener as Bale stars for Wales

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PARIS, Sept 7, 2018 (AFP) – World Cup winners France were held to a 0-0
draw by Germany in Munich in a flat start to the new UEFA Nations League on
Thursday, as Gareth Bale starred in a big win for Wales.

The heavyweight showdown at the Allianz Arena between the last two
winners of the World Cup looked like the perfect game to mark the opening
night of the new international competition.

However, on a rainy night in Bavaria, the meeting of the last two world
champions never really sparked into life, although the French were grateful
to goalkeeper Alphonse Areola for a couple of fine saves in the second half.

Areola was starting in goal in place of the injured Hugo Lloris, winning
his first cap in the only change made by France coach Dider Deschamps
compared to the side that started the World Cup final win over Croatia in
July.

The Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper intervened brilliantly to deny Marco
Reus and keep out a Matthias Ginter header, while Antoine Griezmann’s well-
struck shot that was saved by

Manuel Neuer was as close as France came.

The Netherlands are the other team in Group 1 of League A, and Ronald
Koeman’s team travel to Paris on Sunday, when the French will turn out at
home for the first time since their glorious campaign in Russia.

The top sides in each of the four groups in League A will advance to a
mini final tournament in June next year, with the overall Nations League
title at stake before the Euro 2020 qualifiers begin.

Below the elite league, there is promotion and relegation and also a
potential path to the European Championship for those who do not make it via
the traditional qualifiers.

– Good night for Giggs –

Bale scored a stunning goal as an impressive Wales beat the Republic of
Ireland 4-1 in Ryan Giggs’s first competitive match as manager.

Bale followed up his fine start to the season with Real Madrid by
curling in a sensational strike from outside the box in the 18th minute of
their League B encounter in Cardiff.

It was a 30th international goal for Bale, who is Wales’ all-time
leading goal-scorer. Tom Lawrence had already given Wales the lead before
that, and 17-year-old Ethan Ampadu set up Aaron Ramsey for the third goal
before half-time.

Ireland’s 1-0 win in Cardiff last October had ended Wales’ World Cup
dream, but Martin O’Neill’s side were dreadful this time.

Bale set up Connor Roberts for the hosts’ fourth after the break, before
substitute Shaun Williams pulled a goal back for the Irish after robbing
Ramsey of possession.

“We wanted to put in a performance in front of the fans and put out a
statement,” Bale told Sky Sports.

Wales go to Denmark on Sunday, with the Danes expected to field a full-
strength side in that game after sending out a team of lower-league and
futsal players in a 3-0 friendly loss in Slovakia on Wednesday.

That was because leading stars including Christian Eriksen were absent
due to a contract dispute over commercial rights.

Bale added: “The aim is to win every game we play. We know the format,
we know it’s another way to qualify for the Euros, so we’ll be taking it
seriously.”

Also in League B, Ukraine came from behind to win 2-1 in the Czech
Republic with Oleksandr Zinchenko scoring the decisive goal in stoppage time.

In League C, Fulham’s Stefan Johansen scored twice as Norway beat Cyprus
2-0, and Bulgaria won 2-1 in Slovenia.

The first ever goal of the new Nations League was a stunner, scored by
Giorgi Chakvetadze in distant Astana, as Georgia beat Kazakhstan 2-0 in Group
1 of League D.

In the same league, Arsenal’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan had a penalty saved as
his Armenia beat Liechtenstein 2-1.

The opening round of Nations League matches continues on Friday, with
Italy facing Poland in the standout game.