James Gordon
Windsor Park Stadium.
Northern Ireland’s hopes of reaching Euro 2020 were dashed when Slovakia won the last playoffs in Windsor Park by scoring in extra time.
The guests were captivated by their dramatic style. Defender Milan Screenar threw the ball into his own net and left two minutes of normal playing time to stop Juraj Kucka’s early opener.
He replaced Kyle Lafferty, and then almost won for Northern Ireland when his 90th minute long distance fight was a great success.
But the game was extended and Michal Duris, who sat on the bench, scored in the 110th minute. Slovakia scored the winning goal in the second minute with the most successful rebound.
This victory allows Slovakia to reach the euro final for the second year in a row and prevents Northern Ireland from repeating its performance four years ago.
With the support of 1,060 spectators, who created a good atmosphere despite the small number of participants, Northern Ireland tried to reach this and perhaps the fifth major international tournament.
But despite the fact that she was enchanting during the game – and perhaps more inclined to catch the winner in overtime – it was generally a fragmented show by Ian Baraklow’s people.
After the joy of Euro 2016 in France, Northern Ireland had the chance to qualify again after beating Bosnia-Herzegovina in the semi-finals over penalties in the playoffs in October.
A night that ended in despair would have been so different if Lafferty’s big shot had only been fired a few seconds in the 90 minutes instead of hitting the Slovakian post on the outside. In the last phase of the extra time the host was closed again, but the title of Johnny Evans was maintained.
Northern Ireland shall contribute to the achievement of the objectives of Slovakia
Northern Ireland started the match positively and seemed lively for the first 15 minutes, with the triangle with Stuart Dallas, Paddy McNair and Neil McGinn in the lower right corner threatening.
A mistake by George Savill in 17th grade. But in the second minute the midfielder lost his header to Evans, allowing Kutska to break through.
He was adamant, but still had to show a lot of maturity and technique to overcome the weakness of the Bailey Peack-Farrell in skill and in the game.
Despite a good start to the second half, Northern Ireland’s qualifying offer seemed to fail until McNair was dismissed on the 87th minute. In the second minute Skriniar crossed to the right and showed a low cross that made Skriniar his own goal.
After Lafferty was denied the wood, play continued in the penalty area until a long ball got in the way of Evans and Duris.
The relief touched him well, but Peacock Farrell, the hero of the play-off semifinal, pressed the ball into his nearby bar when he seemed well positioned to avoid hitting.
NI striker Josh Magennis calls Slovakia goalkeeper Marek Rodak.
Major player unable to lead the IN to another major victory
Northern Ireland’s success in recent years has been based on a core of experienced players playing regularly, particularly in crucial matches.
Although the team has lost a few points due to the dismissal, Captain Stephen Davis, Leicester City defender Evans of Leicester City, who top the Premier League standings, and versatile Dallas of Leeds remain vital to the team’s prospects.
Evans doubted the injury before naming the team and seemed to be working hard during the game, although he was very unhappy with the incident when he saw the ball bounce off him and Duris get in the way of the winning goal.
Davis was the heart of the team for a long time, but in his usual low midfielder role he was able to make his mark on the game because especially Slovakian national team captain Marek Khamsik and Stanislav Lobotka seemed to have confidence.
Dallas seemed to deliver a hard blow to the arm in the first half of the game, and although the former crusader was constantly alert throughout the game, his threat of attack with all his might was limited.
What is the future of Baraclow and her actors?
There were few surprises with the starting team and the uniform of Baraclow, the only ones being Josh Magnis, who played to the left of the leading trio, and Conor Washington, who shot from the center, the latter shooting directly into the goalkeeper’s goal during the rally at the beginning of the second half in Northern Ireland.
They seemed too happy to sit down with the Slovaks in the first half and let them dominate. Although they had new energy after the break, they couldn’t hold out until a late equalizer and a subtle Lafferty strike.
Despite the euphoria of the penalty shoot-out victory in Bosnia, Northern Ireland did not win any of Baraclow’s first six games in 90 minutes and fell behind in each of them.
Perhaps Michael O’Neill’s replacement is seen as more than exciting, as his job at the Irish Football Association would be to get through the playoffs first and qualify for the euro again – and the associated financial reward for Northern Ireland football.
The courage he showed in his replacement in Sarajevo was impressive, but the former boss of Motherwell and Sligo Rovers still has a lot of work to do to find out what to do with the team.
After such frustration, it is always easy to feel the end of an era, to embrace the international team, and he will undoubtedly face difficult questions, but in the short term he will have to prepare his team for the League of Nations games in Austria and Romania, his homeland.
The victories of each of them will of course not make up for the missed euros this time, but he needs the impetus of his government to change – and quickly – before he can qualify for the World Cup.
The actors of the game
DallasStuart Dallas
Northern Ireland
- Team number14 Name of the playerDallas
- Team number 17 Name of playerMcNair
- Team number9Player nameBoyce
- Team number 10 Name of playerLafferty
- Team number5 Player nameEvans
- Team number20Player namePocket card
- Name of the player on team number 8Davis
- Team number 3 Player nameLewis
- Team number 7 Player nameMcsippe
- Team number 15Player’s name Thompson
- Team number18 Player nameWhite
- Team number1 Player NamePicock Farrell
- Team number21Player namesMagazine
- Team number16 Player nameWashington
- Team number11 Name of the playerFerguson
- Team number4Player nameFlanagan
- Team number6 Player nameSaville
Slovakia
- Team number21Players named Duris
- Team number19Name of the cookie player
- Team number17 Player nameGamsik
- Team number 14 Player nameScreencast
- Team number5 Name of playerGymbert
- Team number6 Player nameGregus
- Team number8 Name of playerDuda
- Team number13Player nameGrosovsky
- Team number 10 player NameRusnak
- Team number1 Player nameRodak
- Team number20 player NameMac
- Team number 2 NameBaker player
- Team number15 Player nameeHubokan
- Team number16 Player nameSatka
- Team number22 Player nameLobotka
- Team number11 Name of the playerMraz
Lines
Northern Ireland
- 1Pacock Farrell
- 14Dallas
- 20CatartaReplacement for Flanaganate 99’minutes
- 5Valves
- 3Lewis
- 7McGinnSubstituted by Laffertyat 77 minutes
- 17McNairSwitched by Fergusonat 104’minutes
- 8Notifications
- 6SavilleReplaced by Thompsonata 66’minutes
- 16WashingtonReplacement for 66’0 minutes
- 21MagennisSubstituted on Boysat 77’minPrecuit on 117 refills.
Replaces
- 2McLaughlin
- 4-Flanagan
- 9Boyce
- 10Lafferty
- 11Ferguson
- 12McGovernance
- 13McCan
- 15 Thompson
- 18White
- 19Smith
- 22Ballard
- 23Azard
Slovakia
- 1Rodac was 117 minutes away.
- 2Baker
- 16Satka
- 14Criniar
- 15Hubocan
- 22LobotkaExchange for Hrosovsky 65’minutes
- 10RusnákReplaced by Gyömbérat 118’minutes
- 19Koka
- 17GamsikReplaced by Gregusat 105’minutes
- 20Mac exchanged for 65’minutes Durisat
- 8DudaReserved for 66 minSubstituted byMrázat 85’minutes
Replaces
- 3Pauscheke
- 4Large
- 5Gymberg
- 6Gregus
- 7Condition
- 9Mazan
- 11Mraz
- 12Jacoubeck
- 13Khrosovsky
- 18Safranco
- 21 cubes
- 23Grave
Real-time text
- Final of the competition, Northern Ireland 1, Slovakia 2.
- The second half of the extension shall end, Northern Ireland 1, Slovakia 2.
- Michal Duris (Slovakia) is punished after he has committed an offence.
- Stuart Dallas (Northern Ireland) successfully converted the free kick into the defensive half.
- Marek Rodak (Slovakia) hits a free kick in the defensive half.
- Liam Boyce (Northern Ireland) is punished after committing an offence.
- Attempted rescue. The head of Jonny Evans from Northern Ireland is held from the centre of the area in the middle of the goal. Supported by Jordan Thompson with a cross.
- Faul Norbert Diember (Slovakia).
- Kyle Lafferty of Northern Ireland wins the free kick in half of the opponent.
- Milan Screenar (Slovakia) successfully converted a free kick in midfield.
- Kyle Lafferty, Northern Ireland is punished after committing an offence.
- Substitution, Slovakia. Norbert Gyömbert replaces Albert Rusnák.
- Marek Rodak (Slovakia) is yellow carded.
- Liam Boyce (Northern Ireland) was booked by the referee.
- Michal Duris (Slovakia) is punished after he has committed an offence.
- Stuart Dallas (Northern Ireland) wins a penalty on the right wing.
- Juraj Kucka (Slovakia) will be punished after committing an offence.
- Jordan Thompson (Northern Ireland) hits a free kick in the defensive half.
- Jan Gregus (Slovakia) hits a free kick in the defensive half.
- Liam Boyce (Northern Ireland) is punished after committing an offence.
– Headband 
.
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