Evans and his team-mates had managed to keep Gareth Bale quiet for 75 minutes of their last-16 clash in Paris, but the Real Madrid star intervened with a teasing cross that forced McAuley to put through his own net.
And ex-Manchester United defender Evans feels that with Bale leading their line, Wales will be able to beat Hungary or Belgium in the quarter-finals and reach the last four of a major tournament for the first time.
“I can definitely see Wales getting through to the semi-finals,” Evans told Sport360 after the game. “They are a very good side – they’ve got Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey is very good as well – he works hard and makes some very good runs off the ball.
“Bale is a very good player. He’s got all the attributes you need to be a top striker. He’s quick, strong, good in the air – his technique is fantastic and he’s always someone you’ve got to be wary of the whole game.
“We knew he could produce moments of brilliance and unfortunately he’s done that – he’s put in a fantastic cross for the goal that was almost un-defendable.”
#Bale has risen to the occasion every time for #WAL. Decisive interventions vs #SVK #ENG #RUS & now #NIR. #EURO2016 pic.twitter.com/eRfqChsaYS
— Mark Lomas (@marklomasSport) June 25, 2016
Despite defeat, Evans insisted Northern Ireland could be proud of their performance against Wales.
“It was obviously our gameplan, to stop Bale and Ramsey playing,” Evans said. “They like to play a counter-attacking style of football and we wanted to stop that.
“I think it made it an interesting game and I think it is one that Wales will be very relieved to get through. I’m sure they didn’t want to play us – they knew the type of game it was going to be.
“We could see it in their eyes. We knew at half-time that we were out-battling them and beating them to second balls and needed to keep that up right until the end but unfortunately they nicked the goal.”
As are #NIR fans. One final #WillGriggsOnFire chant for the road! #EURO2016 #WALNIR pic.twitter.com/eXOuWLPjE4
— Mark Lomas (@marklomasSport) June 25, 2016
With Northern Ireland now heading home, Evans said he is a little sad to be leaving the Euro 2016 bubble.
“Being here for the last four weeks – obviously you miss family and we’re on the phone every day and some of them come over. But it’s almost like everything else in our lives has been forgotten about.
“You’ve got so much focus on what you’re doing here, it’s like the rest of the world doesn’t exist. Apart from reading about the #Brexit vote of course.”
“There are no worries in your life, you don’t have to think ‘are the doors locked? Or ‘is the alarm on?’ You just go out and play football and it’s been fantastic. I’m sure all the lads will have a holiday, enjoy that and then there’s a month or so before we’re getting ready for the start of the season.”
