Aston Villa left back Neil Taylor leaves Friday’s World Cup Qualifier after an egregious tackle that breaks the leg of Ireland defender Seamus Coleman. We send our best wishes to a speedy recovery for the Everton right back.
Wales and Ireland battled to 0-0 draw in Dublin. With the margin for error in UEFA World Cup Qualifying being slim to zero, both national teams fought a reckless match. Neither side could afford to lose and fall farther down the pecking order.
Wales manager Chris Coleman deployed his usual lineup, featuring Villa pair James Chester and Neil Taylor. Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey, and Joe Allen all went the full ninety.
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The match saw a number of hard tackles including a similar studs-up one Gareth Bale performed on Ireland central defender John O’Shea.
The only difference between Taylor and Bale’s tackles? Angle and luck.
The draw leaves Serbia just ahead of Ireland in UEFA Group D based on goal differential. Both sides are level on eleven points. Wales remain four points behind with seven after a win and a trio of draws.
Below you can watch Neil Taylor’s tackle on Seamus Coleman, if you have the stomach for it.
Fair warning, it is pretty gruesome. A double leg fracture rules Coleman out for the remainder of the Premier League season. Hopefully, he returns even stronger very early next campaign.
Wales will be without both Taylor and Gareth Bale – a yellow on the aforementioned tackle on O’Shea – for a June match-up against Serbia.