Tonight, Northern Ireland are back here at Windsor Park for another
Euro 2024 qualifier. They are hoping for back-to-back home wins after
defeating San Marino three days ago. Jonny Evans, passing a century of
international caps. Again, it's Thompson. Taylor... Has a Lewis, and
overlaps. Cammy Smyth get there? Yes, he can! -- can Smyth get there.
An acrobatic celebration. Smyth on the nearside. Here he is. Driven in
low, Magennis, it's two. Smyth, the provider. Played in quickly, should
be finished by McMenamin and it's three. The substitute, Conor
McMenamin. The final score here is 3-0. Northern Ireland finished that
game with five U21 international is on the pitch. This evening, Michael
O'Neill's young side, with two debutants included, face a much
sterner task against group leaders Slovenia, who beat Northern Ireland
4-2 when the sides met last month. Northern Ireland can't qualify for
the finals, but they will be hoping for a positive performance tonight
and a result to build on for the future. Later, I'll be joined by
former international Keith Gillespie for analysis. First, match
commentary.
Slovenia have qualification in their sites. For the home side, it's all
about finishing their campaign with some momentum to take forward. Three
changes from the weekend, the goalkeepers are rotated, with Bailey
Peacock-Farrell replacing Conor Hazard. With Daniel Ballard injured,
Eoin Toal and Bradley Lyons make their debut. Shea Charles is the
only player to start every game in the group. Two hugely experienced
skippers, Oblak of Slovenia, Jonny Evans of Northern Ireland. The
officials are from Romania.
The visitors go the same side that started Saturday's 3-0 victory over
Sutterlin. John Oblak is one of the will's top goalkeepers. On the other
side of the pitch, Andraz Sporar and Sesko have formed an impressive
partnership, the latter scoring 12 goals in his last eight games.
Before kick-off, a moment of silence, taking place before all
qualifiers taking place tonight, in memory of the two victims of last
night's terror attack in Brussels.
WHISTLE
APPLAUSE
A huge result in the context of the group earlier this evening.
Kazakhstan, coming from 1-0 behind against Finland to win 2-1 with a
last-minute winner in that game. It brings them to just one point behind
Slovenia, ahead of tonight's fixture. The visitors know they
simply cannot afford to slip up tonight. First international touch
for Eoin Toal. And here is Evans. Massively reassuring for Toal to
have the quality of Evans beside him, and all of his experience. 106
international caps. Toal, yet to play a minute in the international
fold.
Elsnik come on this left-hand side. Decent run through the middle. I
think it was Smyth who got the final touch. An early corner kick for
Slovenia. 80th game in charge for Michael O'Neill. Taken short.
Good idea, didn't quite come off. It was Janza with the set play.
Back to Peacock-Farrell. Slovenia, pushing up. Bradley Lyons, nice
first touch in the international game for him. What a journey it's
been.
Won back by Charles. In the absence of McNair, he is the only player to
have started every game. Opportunity through the middle, but Jamal Lewis
was quickly across. Although the referee has decided to bring it back
for a free kick just outside the box. I think he initially may have
been playing the advantage, but it was a long time before the whistle
sounded.
Here is the infringement. Jamal Lewis penalised. I suppose the one
benefit, the yellow card, I think it was shown to Jonny Evans, he was
certainly the closest player to it. We will get confirmation in a
moment. Shea Charles, according to the graphics, the play on the
receiving end. So, that was for something that was said. But it is
very close, so many bodies between the free kick taker and
Peacock-Farrell. The big question for Sesko will be, can he get it up
and over? It has actually left it for Cerin instead. So many bodies to
get through.
Does it brilliantly, though. It's a super free kick. It in off the
upright. A super start for Slovenia. Just what they would have hoped for.
Northern Ireland were not happy with the free kick being awarded
initially. But Cerin with a brilliant effort. Northern Ireland
players still surrounding the official. Jordan Thompson, the
player closest to the referee, who is currently speaking with Jonny
Evans. But no question about the free kick itself from Cerin.
Peacock-Farrell come out. She, couldn't get there. --
Peacock-Farrell, at full stretch, couldn't get there. And the visitors
strike first.
And there is just life sucked out of the home supporters. Given away. It
was risky at the back. Well, I think it was strange and -- Stojanovic.
The midfielder attempted to lob over Peacock-Farrell. This was the
initial decision to award a free kick. And here is the fine finish.
Again, risky at the back. Northern Ireland trying to play it out.
Peacock-Farrell.
Opportunity, straight to Smyth. Two in the middle for Smyth, decided to
go for goal himself. It's blocked, and it's now going to be a Northern
Ireland corner kick. Their first of the game.
Northern Ireland U21 defenders, imposing presence in there, you can
see him, number 22. Decent ball in the. Oblak came for it. Charles
struggled well, but the defender got in the way. Oblak didn't look
particularly convincing from the corner kick. Very unlike the
Atletico Madrid goalkeeper. Given all his experience. Ten seasons with
the La Liga giants. Here is Magennis. It takes a tumble. Evans
is still up from the last attack. And now the referee blows his
whistle and says again he was playing advantage.
He certainly is having a big part to play in the early stages, the
official. Magennis used his body so well.
Thompson lifts it in. Magennis at the back post could not get there.
The defender, Karnicnik, got the faintest of touches to take it away
from him. Evans has stayed up, you expect he would be the target at the
near post. Just over Evans' head. Felt there was a push in the back.
The referee shakes his head.
Toal, to Hume and Lyons is up ahead. Slovenia certainly being pushed back
at the moment, but they do have that one advantage from Cerin's free
kick.
Janza found Elsnik. Smyth, can he get there? Good covering challenge.
The defender did just enough. Smyth has pace to burn, and just couldn't
get his toe to it first. Well, it is going to be one of his trademark
long throw ins.
Evans the target once more. It could fall for Lewis on his weaker right
foot. Oblak was struggling across his line, and was pleased to see it
go the other side of the post.
Has always had it covered though. Northern Ireland shading possession
right now. Peacock-Farrell. I don't think there is anyone
running in behind, so, an easy take in the end for Blazic.
Across to Lewis. Still Lewis. Does very well.
Growing in confidence as this game goes on Lewis, particularly in an
attacking sense. Charlesers. Good delivery and that could have ended
up anywhere. It was Sesko who is more associated with things at the
other end of the pitch, but the delivery from Charles had so much
pace on it. A little bit better from Slovenia, who have been starved of
possession at times. Nicely worked. On the right-hand
side, two in the middle. Parried by Peacock-Farrell, and hammered away
by Evans. Probably the best attacking move
that Slovenia have mustered in the opening half hour.
Took a strong hand from Peacock-Farrell.
He is on loan, playing his club football in Denmark. Off the head of
Hume. Straight to a white shirt, that is a defensive mix up and it is
an absolute gift in the end for Sesko.
Northern Ireland had opportunities to clear, they didn't take them. And
that was laid on a plate for Sesko. He continues his fine run of form,
two goals on Saturday. That is nine in his last 13. And for all of
Northern Ireland's pressure, they find themselves two behind, it is
being checked by VAR. There was a first chance tae clear. Then
another. Another, think it could well be ruled out. I wonder, did it
take a touch off Jonny Evans. If he touches the ball, oh it is Owen Toal
who it ricochets off and even though the attacker was in an offside
position... The referee is going to have a look at it. So it hasn't been
chalked off, the ref reassessing here if Owen Toal has been fouled
and there has been a little nudge just before the strikers Sesko gets
to it? And the goal has been ruled out.
245 is a let off for Northern Ireland.
-- that is a let off for Northern Ireland.
They have defended very well throughout the majority of this
game, and, well, that was a Comedy of Errors they have just about
managed to get away with it. Evans lungs in. Here was caught in
the process, and... It is Sporar who caught the veteran Manchester United
player. Who seems to have come out worse.
Opportunity for Lyons. Looks for support. Goes down, free-kick and it
is goings to be a yellow. For Elsnik.
Lyons has scored the winner for Kilmarnock against Rangers earlier
in the season. Massive occasion for him in his first international cap.
Charlesers. Over they had of Evans. Lewis. Evans is down, and looks
hurt. This is really worrying for Jonny Evans. Not sure if the players
are aware, but... Slowly hobbling back on to his feet, after going
down for the last St Peterses. Slowly making his way back off
camera. Northern Ireland though, have played
on. Here is Lewis.
And now, Evans will be able to get attention when the referee sees.
Sandwiched between two players and I wonder, did one of them come down on
his ankle I think? Crowd showing some appreciation for that control
of Evans. Smyth wanted to take the throw in
quickly, as the referee has a little glance at his watch.
Thompson. To Lewis. They have played the a lotted three minute, this will
be the final attack, lifted into Magennis. Comfortable good morning
again, brave goalkeeping from Oblak. Half-time whistle sounds, Slovenia
had never scored in Belfast before, it took them just five minutes to do
so this evening. Cerin's free-kick perfectly placed. So at the break,
it is Northern Ireland nil, Slovenia one.
One change at half-time, on comes Conor Washington for Josh Magennis.
Thompson, doesn't make his way through. As far as Washington, here
is Lyons. Still Lyons. Smyth. Plenty of bodies in the
middle. One of them is Washington, battling with Oblak, and he used
every bit of his considerable height. Oblak has won La Liga and
the Champions League during his time in the Spanish capital.
Charles under pressure. Loses out. Pot-shot from distance and Elsnik
was probably the wrong option. Sporar still down. And again VAR is
going to have a look at this. It was Charles with the tackle. Yellow.
And it is a second yellow so it's a red. Shea Charles sent off. The
check is over, the referee made the decision himself, doesn't need to
look at the monitor, yellow for Charles, was booked in the aftermath
of the free-kick in the first half, and Northern Ireland are down to
ten. The teenager floor receiving a red card for two bookable offences,
and then is why. No real pressure being put on the Slovenian
defenders. I think Isak price is still going to come on.
Is Adam Ashley-Cooper c Price. As the visitors play keep ball.
Off the head of Evans. Challenge from Evans. Evans. Who
leads by example. It was a crushing tackle on Elsnik just as he was
winding up to have a go from just outside the box. Saville, Charles
and Price, for Taylor. Thompson. And whopp will be the
third? It is Paul Smyth over on the far side.
So Saville wins his 49th cap, it was the first time in his Northern
Ireland career he was an unused substitute.
Price. Does really well on the right-hand side. Links up with
Marshall. Back to Saville. Best opportunity that Northern Ireland
have created so far. Price central to it: Washington just eased off a
little bit and then Saville on his weaker right-hand side hasn't scored
in his 49 caps so far, what a story that would have been for him.
Home side now sitting very deep. Almost everyone behind the ball.
Back to Bijol. Nicely worked inside. Big opportunity and it was..., it
was Mlakar who thought he had beat the offside trap. I think he is
level there. So would have counted, a huge chance. Blazic playing it
across to Bijol. Here is Kurtic. 34 now, plays his
club football in Romania. Cross to Stojanovic. Swept towards
the far side, a good ball, and fine delivery, clash between the strikers
and Peacock-Farrell. Both players with eyes only for the
ball. Sesko and Peacock-Farrell. Referee sounded his whistle
straightaway. Actually across to car nick. There is the spare player on
the far side. Peacock-Farrell, brave and there is a collision in midair.
He is still feeling that one there. Hobbling about, Peacock-Farrell.
Trying to walk it off. It is a is heavy collision.
Price. Gets there first. Saville. Lewis. For Charles. Good work, the
goalkeeper, lovely little touch though, from Lewis in the build up.
Looks for an option, and eventually he finds one.
Evans is out from the back in this attack. Here is a Lewis. It could
fall for Evans at the back post. Back to Saville, and Northern
Ireland had numbers in the box for one of the first times this evening.
You can see that the manager is impressed by that. There was a real
sense of purpose to this attack. Lewis did brilliantly on the
left-hand side. The Norge down, the link-up play between first of all
Lyons, who won it there, Washington, the second chance at that Saville
has had. Unfortunately for him, and Northern Ireland, it was right down
the throat of Oblak. Watching the seconds ticked down.
Back to Sesko, and it took a slight deflection off Evans. But
Peacock-Farrell always had it covered. Verbic has made an impact,
coming on. Moving the ball a little bit quicker.
Toal, across to Hume. Price. First touch takes away from his man, and
he wins a corner kick.
Northern Ireland's fifth of the game. And again, Price has been so
bright, coming on. McMenamin is about to be introduced. He will come
on for Brad Lyons. McMenamin came off the bench to score on Saturday.
It's going to be a yellow card here. I think it's... Is its Jonny Evans,
perhaps?
It is Jonny Evans. Frustrated by some of the holding. Right in front
of the referee. Here comes the corner kick. Again, Sesko. Back
helping out his defence. Slovenia haven't looked comfortable from set
pieces all evening. Hume now piled in. Again, the referee's whistle
sounds. Oblak was strong in the air, but the referee felt the challenge
from Hume was a little bit too robust.
Again, you can see so much holding going on. Those supporters are
celebrating. It has been feisty. It has been a battle, at times. But it
looks like they are going to leave Belfast with all three points, for
the first time in their history. And it could be a massive win. But
Northern Ireland have other ideas. Can they launch something?
The ball is at the wrong end of the pitch.
Toal mis-cues the ball forward, and I suspect that may well be the final
action of this game.
The manager certainly thinks so. For the first time in their history,
Slovenia have won four consecutive matches, and it could prove to be a
huge three points for them. In their pursuit of automatic qualification.
My colonial house words with his opposite number. But the final score
here at Windsor Park is Northern Ireland 0-1 Slovenia.
A frustrating night. Do you
A frustrating night. Do you think your team deserve to get something
out of that? I think we did. A lot went against us in the game. We lost
a goal early, a soft free kick which the referee delayed in giving. And
then we had to play basically for 35 minutes, I think, with ten men. And
we created better chances in the second half, to be honest. Some of
our play with ten men was terrific. We have to give up a lot of
territory, let them have the ball and play on the counterattack. I
think we have to learn from these types of games. The emotion in the
game at times cost as a little bit. I thought we got on the wrong side
of the officials because of that. Ultimately, we got very little from
the officials. That is a learning experience, you have to try to turn
that around. We have players that don't have a huge amount of
international experience, and I think that showed up times in terms
of the bookings we picked up in key moments in the game. Perhaps not the
result, but on a personal level how much did you enjoy that experience
today? It was a dream come true, and I really mean that, family in the
stand watching, my girlfriend as well, to represent your country is
the best feeling I've ever felt in my life. But, again, it's a
frustrating one at the same time because of the results, because I
thought we played really well and probably deserved something from the
game. There were a lot of positive signs. The results don't necessarily
show that at the moment. I understand that. But in every game
we have played, I can't remember us being totally outplayed or totally
out of our depth or anything like that. We have to look for positives
in the situation we are in. A sixth defeat in eight qualifying games for
Northern Ireland. Slovenia stayed top of the group, joint on points
with Denmark. Kazakhstan are third after a win against Finland. I'm
delighted to say I am joined by former Northern Ireland
international Keith Gillespie. A fifth 1-0 defeat for Northern
Ireland in the qualifying campaign. Did they deserve to get something
out of the game, do you think? I don't think we did enough. We huffed
and puffed, as usual. We are staying in games long enough, but we are
just not really getting into positions at the other end of the
pitch, with a few half chances tonight, we didn't really create
enough. Thus the disappointing thing. I just think it has been a
disappointing campaign. A campaign where I thought we could be in with
a chance of qualifying. What did you make of the referee performance?
Yeah, I thought he was awful, really, really poor. I think for the
goal, it was a free kick, but there was a in giving the free kick at
first. It was likely indicated to the player to get up and then blew
his whistle about three seconds later. Then the other goal which he
gave offside, thought it was a perfectly good goal. You know, every
time a ball went into the box, he was waiting to blow the whistle.
Their goalkeeper, every time he was touched, the referee was giving
fouls. I thought he was very, very poor. Romanian referee who seems...
It seems to be the Romanian referees that don't do as much flavour is
here. A positive note, Northern Ireland, down to ten men, they
pushed on and actually created a couple of chances in the second
half. I think we actually looked better with ten men, we got into
better positions and created more chances. The disappointing thing was
with 11 men you would expect to do that. But, you know, it is a young
side. You look at all of the young players out there, the young players
on the bench, I think these next two games we need to give them that
experience, and look forward to the next campaign. Because it was never
going to be easy, you know? People may be thought Michael would come in
and replicate what he did before, but it is going to take time. It
took time the first time. I think we just stick by Michael, he knows what
he is doing, and let's hope the next campaign will be more successful.
How long do you think it's going to take to be able to mould that team
into a side that can challenge, to qualify? One campaign, or the
campaign passed that? It could be a couple, it just depends how young
players develop, you know? International football is another
step up from club football. So, it will be tough. But it is tough when
you sort of lose the players that Michael had first time round, your
Steve Davis, your Dallass, Kyle Lafferty when he played. Thankfully
we still have Jonny and I thought he was our best player on the pitch.
Still going strong. Got to keep in for the next campaign? Hopefully so,
he knows how long he can go on for at international level. You're
feeling optimistic -ish about the future? Absolutely, there is a lot
of good youth there, you have seen that, young players coming on, they
have done well in the campaign. Fingers crossed for a successful
campaign next time round. Let's hope so. Northern Ireland have two games
left in this qualifying campaign, away to Finland and home to Denmark
next month. You can see highlights of both matches here on the BBC.
Until then, from all of here, bye-bye.