Advantage Wales after England falter at the last '“ Bale

Wales' Gareth Bale (left) and Aaron Ramsey (right) celebrate victory over Russia.

Wales guaranteed their place in the last 16 by beating Russia 3-0 in Toulouse on Monday night, Bale sealing victory with his third goal in as many games to become the tournament’s top scorer.

And there was an added bonus when England’s failure to beat Slovakia saw Wales top the group, even though Chris Coleman’s side were the fourth seeds in the section.

It means Wales will now play a best third-placed team at the Parc des Princes in Paris on Saturday evening, with Albania, Northern Ireland and Turkey all possible opponents.

Asked if claiming top spot gave Wales a better chance of progressing deep into the tournament, Bale said: “It definitely does, there are no easy games but this might give us a slightly easier game.”

Bale has won the Champions League twice in three seasons since his £85.3m world-record transfer to Real Madrid from Tottenham.

But he felt that the intoxicating night at the Stade de Toulouse, in which thousands of Wales fans heavily outnumbered their Russian counterparts, was as memorable as anything he had experienced during his career.

“It was an unbelievable occasion, right up there with anything I have done,” added Bale.

Republic of Ireland boss Martin O’Neill has warned his players not to be fooled by talk of Italy fielding a weakened team as Group E reaches its conclusion.

The Italians arrived in Lille for tonight’s showdown with the Republic having already booked not only their place in the last 16 but top spot after victories over Belgium and Sweden, ominously without conceding a goal.

Coach Antonio Conte is expected to make changes for the game at the Stade Pierre Mauroy.

But O’Neill said: “Italy, regardless of the changes in the team, will be very dangerous because they are Italy and the players who are coming into the squad actually come from Roma, AC Milan, big places, so these players are top quality players and we have to be ready for that and we think that we are.”

A brilliantly worked goal by substitute Jakub Blaszczykowski sent Poland through to the last 16 of Euro 2016 with a 1-0 win over Ukraine in Marseille.

The win sent the Poles through behind Group C leaders Germany.