Wales vs Northern Ireland live: Latest from Euro 2016 as Gareth McAuley own goal gives Welsh victory

Follow the latest from Paris as two home nations go head-to-head in the second round

Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey celebrate after Gareth McAuley's own goal gives Wales the lead (Getty)

Welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of the European Championship second round tie between Wales and Northern Ireland at the Parc des Princes.

Chris Coleman’s side finished above England in Group B to qualify as group leaders while Michael O’Neill’s Northern Irishmen shocked the footballing community to escape from a group which included Germany and Poland.​

• Wales beat Northern Ireland 1-0 to reach quarter-finals
• Gareth McAuley deflects Gareth Bale's cross into his own net
• Aaron Ramsey has goal ruled out for offside
• Wales will play the winner of Belgium vs Hungary
• Poland beat Switzerland 5-4 on penalties
• Sides locked at 1-1 after 120 minutes before Granit Xhaka misses penalty
• Croatia vs Portugal - 8pm
• Nani backs Ronaldo to shine
• Higginbotham: Croatia can reach final

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Gareth Bale is 27 years old and must be near the peak of his considerable football powers. He won his second Champions League less than one month ago. Today he will play the biggest match of his life, a European Championship last-16 against Northern Ireland. Win that, and they are in the quarter-finals, matching Wales’ best ever performance in a football tournament.

It would be utterly normal for Bale to approach this game locked in the moment, thinking only of how he and his team-mates are planning to unpick the packed ranks of Northern Irishmen at the Parc des Princes. But to speak to Bale at Wales’ Breton base on Thursday afternoon was to hear a footballer who is very conscious of perspective, and of the context and meaning of this match.

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