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Andorra national football team
European Championship | Qualifiers
Sep 9, 2014 at 7.45pm UK
 
Wales national football team

1-2

Lima (6' pen.)
FT(HT: 1-1)
Bale (22', 81')

Gareth Bale scores twice to see Wales past Andorra scare

A Gareth Bale brace sees Wales come from behind to avoid a shock and beat minnows Andorra 2-1 in their opening Euro 2016 qualifier this evening.

Wales were forced to come from behind to pick up a victory over minnows Andorra in their Euro 2016 Group B qualifier this evening, with a Gareth Bale brace handing the visitors a narrow 2-1 win.

Wales forward Gareth Bale (C) celebrates with teammates forward Simon Church (R) and defender Lewin Nyatanga after scoring a goal during the Euro 2016 qualifying round match against Andorra on September 9, 2014© Getty Images

Chris Coleman's side almost made a perfect start to the match when Chris Gunter advanced with the ball down the right inside two minutes, but his subsequent shot was tame and easy for the keeper.

Andorra enjoyed a historic moment in the sixth minute as they took the lead in a European Championship qualifier for the first time ever.

It was Ildefons Lima who opened the scoring, converting from the penalty spot after Ivan Lorenzo had been pulled down inside the box to net his country's first goal in a competitive fixture for four years.

Andorra's defender Ildefons Lima (C) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during the Euro 2016 qualifying round football match Andorra against Wales on September 09, 2014© Getty Images

Wales immediately went looking for an equaliser to spare their blushes, and James Chester and Bale both came close to getting one in quick succession.

It was the latter who final got his side back on level terms, however, rising higher than Marc Vales inside the box to send his header past Ferran Pol.

Wales upped the tempo again in the second half, with Bale the catalyst for most of his side's threatening play after the restart.

The Real Madrid man saw a free kick well saved 10 minutes into the half before curling an effort just wide of the post from the edge of the box on the hour mark.

Andorra relieved some of the pressure shortly afterwards as they broke down the other end, but Cristian Martinez's effort did not trouble Wayne Hennessey as it went wide of the target.

Wales finally moved into the lead with less than 10 minutes remaining as Bale got his second of the evening, picking out the top corner with a fine free kick having been given a second chance due to encroachment on his initial shot.

That proved to be enough for the visitors as they held out for all three points in their opening qualifying match.

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Wales' Gareth Bale celebrates scoring their third goal during the international friendly football match between Wales and Iceland at Cardiff City Stadium in Cardiff, south Wales, on March 5, 2014
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Group A

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Q Germany Germany32107
Q Switzerland Switzerland31205
3 Hungary Hungary31023
4 Scotland flag Scotland30121

Group B

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Q Spain Spain33009
Q Italy Italy31114
3 Croatia Croatia30212
4 Albania national flag Albania30121

Group C

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Q England flag England31205
Q Denmark Denmark30303
Q Slovenia Slovenia30303
4 Serbia Serbia30212

Group D

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Q Austria Austria32016
Q France France31205
Q Netherlands Netherlands31114
4 Poland Poland30121

Group E

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Q Belgium Belgium31114
Q Slovakia Slovakia31114
4 Ukraine Ukraine31114

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Q Georgia Georgia31114
4 Czech Republic Czech Republic30121


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