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A marvellous, two-goal performance by Gareth Bale fires Wales to the top of the group as Israel were swatted aside in Haifa.

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Sat 28 Mar 2015 14.51 EDTFirst published on Sat 28 Mar 2015 12.00 EDT
Gareth Bale celebrates after scoring the second goal for Wales.
Gareth Bale celebrates after scoring the second goal for Wales. Who, outside of Madrid, could ever have doubted him? Photograph: Matthew Childs/Reuters
Gareth Bale celebrates after scoring the second goal for Wales. Who, outside of Madrid, could ever have doubted him? Photograph: Matthew Childs/Reuters

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FULL TIME: Israel 0-3 Wales

And that’s that. A comprehensive, and highly impressive, win for the Welsh. They’re top of the group. Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey, huh? The dream of a first major finals since 1958 is very much still on!

90 min +1: Taylor whips a cross in from the left. Vokes controls on the penalty spot, but can’t turn swiftly enough. He’s had chances.

90 min: There will be two added minutes. They can’t go by quickly enough for Israel, who are holding on for dear life. Bale very nearly releases Macdonald into the area down that inside-left channel. Dgani intercepts at the last.

89 min: Bale scampers down the inside-left channel. Desirous of his hat-trick, he shoots from the left-hand corner of the D and - not for the first time this evening - sends a lame effort well wide right of the target. Still, two goals, eh.

88 min: Bale, running at full pelt, scoops a delicious ball down the left channel to release Vokes into the area. Vokes takes a first-time shot, lashing the ball into the side netting.

84 min: Bale, tight on the byline to the right of goal, nutmegs Biton, who might now regret coming back on. He pelts a shot towards the bottom right, from a tight angle. Marciano does well to turn it round for a corner.

83 min: Chances at either end. First Bale slides a pass down the left to release Vokes into the box, but the striker lets the ball roll under his feet. Israel launch one long up the other end, and Sahar’s suddenly free down the inside-left channel and into the area! He’s one on one with Hennessey, who stands firm as Sahar looks for the left-hand portion of the net. A magnificent save.

81 min: Ramsey tries to release Gunter into space down the right. And crumples. He rolls around on the floor awhile, grabbing his groin. He’s not happy. He might have pulled something, writes Dr Murray, who in truth has no idea, but limps on for a bit. That might look worse than it actually is.

80 min: Biton, who was sent on to shore things up for Israel, limps off injured. The home side have no changes left to make, so they’ll be hoping to send him on again. If they can’t do some running repairs, Israel will end this game in tatters, with nine men.

79 min: This will be Israel’s first competitive home defeat for two-and-a-half years. Wales have been magnificent.

GOAL! Israel 0-3 Wales (Bale 77)

But it’s over now. Vaughan steals the ball down the left, and slips Ramsey forward into the box. Ramsey holds the ball up a second, before cutting the ball back to Bale on the penalty spot. Bale whips the ball into the top right. Maybe not quite in the top right. The keeper got a hand on that, and might have done better. But that’s two goals for Bale, back to his superlative best. His scream of joy betrays the preposterous frustrations of Madrid.

Gareth Bale scores the third goal. Photograph: Matthew Childs/Action Images via Reuters
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76 min: Israel nearly get themselves back into the game. Sahar busies himself down the left, a purposeful and skiful run. His cross, from near the byline, is inches away from finding the head of Hemed, six yards out, but Hennessey comes off his line to claim. That nearly shone a very different light on this game.

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74 min: Bale, from a deep position down the left, creams a diagonal ball forwards to set Ramsey clear on goal. He stretches to shoot on the edge of the box, and the effort’s heading goalwards, but Marciano is out quickly to block. The rebound could fall to Vokes, free on the edge of the box, but his luck’s not in right now.

73 min: Balls flung into the Welsh area from the left, then the right. Taylor deals with one, Collins hoicks away the other. Israel, their leading scorer off injured, lack a cutting edge.

71 min: And it’s nearly a Harry Kane style introduction from Vokes, who is sent clear into the area by a lovely sliderule pass down the right from Allen. His shot is straight at Marciano, who nevertheless has to keep strong to parry the effort out. Wales have had their chances to put this game to bed. They’re not home and hosed yet.

70 min: Zahavi clatters into Bale. It’s his last act of the evening, as he’s hooked in favour of Sahar.

69 min: Vokes comes on for Robson-Kanu. It’s the injury-hit Burnley striker’s first appearance of the Euro 2016 campaign.

68 min: Wales get back on the ball, and remind Israel they’re a man light. Some neat, crisp, possession passing in the middle of the park. Exactly what was required. The home crowd start with the whistling and jeering again, stage one in getting them to simmer down.

66 min: Israel were really rocking back there, but they’ve been allowed to claw back a little confidence. The crowd are doing their best, responding to this slight change in momentum. Wales need to get back on the ball, and remind Israel they’re a man light.

64 min: Davies bundles Hemed over down the right. The free kick is curled towards the near post. Ramsey looks to see the ball out for a goal kick, but allows Refaelov to stick out a leg and divert it towards the bottom right. Hennessey is forced to parry, and the ball’s cleared. This is a bit sloppy from Wales, all of a sudden. They could do with regaining their composure, and more importantly their discipline.

62 min: Taylor clips Refaelov’s heels, a needless foul, 35 yards from goal down the inside-right channel. A chance for Israel to load the box and get back into this game. But the free kick’s tapped to Natcho, who faffs and fannies around, allowing Taylor to atone for his error by racing out from the wall and blocking the attempted delivery into the danger zone at source. What a farce. Utterly pathetic from Israel, who can’t afford to be giving up chances to create bedlam like that.

60 min: Another change for Israel: Ben Chaim, who impressed with his Garrincha-lite skills during the first half, is sacrificed for Biton.

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58 min: Zahavi jinks in from the left and lays off to Refaelov, who looks for Hemed in the Welsh box with a sliderule pass. Collins strides across to batter the ball back upfield with extreme prejudice. Better from Israel, but they’re struggling to make any impact - and to be fair, were finding it difficult with 11 men on the field. Wales have been very impressive tonight.

57 min: The Itztadion Sammy Ofer is a fairly quiet place right now. A few defiant whistles as Wales stroke it around the back, the footballing equivalent of yawning and scratching one’s arse. The visitors couldn’t be more comfortable right now.

55 min: Robson-Kanu, 30 yards from goal, looks for the top left. Not a bad effort at all, albeit a fair few feet over the bar. Wales are rampant.

54 min: Israel have lost the plot. A ball’s slipped out to Bale, on the right wing. There’s nobody within 15 yards of him! Bale jigs into the area, and really should score, but he drags a low shot wide right. That’s poor, because the game was there, on a plate. Though I’ve a funny feeling that won’t be the last chance Israel offer up this evening.

53 min: Injury is added to insult. Bale takes the resulting free kick, and slaps the ball straight in Dgani’s coupon. Jets of water are applied to the Israeli defender’s startled boat.

Gareth Bale takes a free kick. Photograph: Ariel Schalit/AP
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RED CARD! Tibi sent off!

52 min: Bale goes on another scamper down the inside-right channel. Tibi, who has been all over the shop tonight, sticks a big arse in Bale’s way. That’s obstruction, and another yellow! It’s all falling apart for Israel.

GOAL! Israel 0-2 Wales (Bale 50)

... whips a ball into the top right corner! So simple! What a magnificent finish! Sensational! Marciano was rooted to the spot, watching the ball fly into the net. As was Natcho, stationed on the post. Wow.

Gareth Bale celebrates after scoring the second goal for Wales. Photograph: Matthew Childs/Action Images via Reuters
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49 min: Bale drops a shoulder to burst past Tibi, with a view of breaking into the area down the right-hand channel for a shot. And he’s brought down, cynically. Tibi goes in the book. That’s right on the edge of the box, a couple of yards to the right of the D. A very dangerous position. Bale stands over it, and ...

47 min: An early worry for Wales, with Ledley down receiving treatment. Not sure what’s wrong with him, writes Dr Murray, who is a right quack and no mistake. Seizure of the beard, perhaps. And he’s having to go off with some unspecified niggle. Vaughan comes on in his stead.

And we’re off again! Wales get the ball rolling once more. “Wow, what a goal,” begins Simon McMahon, who ain’t wrong. “I’ve never seen that one before. Take a bow, Ivor Allchurch, who I’m hoping was nicknamed ‘The Engine’. Almost as good as Dundee United and Scotland legend Dave Narey’s toe poke against Brazil in 1982.” And for the benefit of anyone who didn’t sit in front of BBC1 during the late 1970s with a snotty nose, waiting for their tea ...

Half-time entertainment: With the successes of 1958 increasingly in mind, how about another look at one of the best World Cup goals ever? Step forward, and belt it, Ivor Allchurch!

There’s enough time before the restart for 45 viewings. And it’ll not get old.

HALF TIME: Israel 0-1 Wales

Wales deserve their lead. And if they keep hold of it, they’ll be topping the group tonight!

GOAL! Israel 0-1 Wales (Ramsey 45 +1)

A very simple one, this. Hennessey larrups a long ball down the inside-right channel. The ball’s allowed to bounce. Bale, on the right-hand edge of the six-yard box, heads inside. Ramsey meets the dropping ball, and cushions a well-judged header into the top right, over a badly positioned Marciano. Charles Reep will be spinning in his grave, only with great excitement. That’s a route-one classic!

Aaron Ramsey, right and Gareth Bale celebrate after they scored. Photograph: Dusan Vranic/AP
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