Northern Ireland v Azerbaijan Offical Match Programme

ALL FIRED UP TO TACKLE FURTHER CHALLENGES

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Josh Magennis is the former goalkeeper who made his debut as a striker against Turkey in the USA. He's the 26-year-old who has to pinch himself every XMQI LI W EWOIH XS VIƥIGX SR XLI WXEKMRK TSWXW SJ E remarkable international career. “It's been a fantastic journey – I've been blessed,” WEMH 1EKIRRMW [LS [SR LMW ƤVWX GET EW E replacement in a friendly defeat to the Turks in May 2010. An understrength team, managed by former boss 2MKIP ;SVXLMRKXSR ERH JIEXYVMRK ƤZI -VMWL 0IEKYI players, lost 2-0 at the Veterans Stadium in Connecticut. 7M\ ]IEVW PEXIV 1EKIRRMW [LS FIKER LMW GEVIIV MR KSEPW FIJSVI STXMRK XS TYVWYI ER SYXƤIPH JYXYVI boasts an impressive back catalogue of green shirted highlights. ,MW ': MRGPYHIW E ƤVWX MRXIVREXMSREP KSEP MR E RIZIV to be forgotten 3-1 win over Greece in Belfast 13 months ago; a result, of course, that clinched UYEPMƤGEXMSR JSV )YVS

Add in the historic achievement of playing in France in the summer and a major contribution for Niall McGinn's goal against Ukraine in Lyon and the Charlton Athletic striker has much to be proud of. He said: “After my debut in 2010 if someone had told me all this would happen I would have been thinking 'really’? “I just pray to God that I can continue progressing. You only get one bite at the cherry to play professional football and not everyone gets to play for their country. Ű-X W E GEWI SJ ƤKLX SV ƥMKLX FYX GLEPPIRKIW ƤVI QI up. I've always wanted to do myself justice every single time I play for Northern Ireland.” Magennis, who won his 25th cap in last month's 2-0 World Cup qualifying defeat to Germany in Hannover, says he owes a huge debt of gratitude to Michael O'Neill. “He has been brilliant, not only in terms of my international career but also my club career,” he said. “The faith he has shown in me is massive.

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