Northern Ireland v Belarus (15/11/2024)

FIVE-STAR NORTHERN IRELAND HAMMER BULGARIA WORDS: NIGEL TILSON

Northern Ireland produced an exquisite display of attacking football as they demolished Bulgaria last month. An Isaac Price hat-trick, an own goal and a strike from substitute Josh Magennis secured an excellent 5-0 win. Bulgaria outmuscled Northern Ireland when they defeated them 1-0 in Plovdiv the previous month, however this time they were over-run by Michael O’Neill’s team. Not surprisingly the 17,891 fans inside the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park - minus around 200 Bulgarian supporters - were bouncing as Northern Ireland turned on the style in the UEFA Nations League encounter. The victory, coupled with Belarus and Luxembourg drawing one apiece in Hungary the same night, meant Northern Ireland topped UNL League C Group 3 on seven points from four games. For the game Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neill made three changes from the team that started the 0-0 draw against Belarus in Hungary a few days earlier. Brodie Spencer, Alistair McCann and Dion Charles came in for Jamal Lewis, George Saville and Jamie Reid, while Pierce Charles continued in nets after making his debut against the Belarusians. Conor Bradley donned the captain’s armband for the first time in Hungary and was skipper once more.

Northern Ireland showed intensity from the start. Shea Charles delivered a free-kick into the six-yard box early on but his cross was collected by Bulgarian keeper Dimitar Mitov. On 15 minutes Northern Ireland opened the scoring. Eoin Toal’s header was flicked on by Brodie Spencer to Dion Charles, who tussled for the ball down the left with Bulgaria defender Zhivko Atanasov. Charles managed to nick the ball away from him before expertly clipping it across goal with the outside of his foot to Isaac Price and he slotted it home from nine yards. Seven minutes later Dion Charles got away from his marker again inside the area and fired in a low shot which was turned away by a defender for a corner. Northern Ireland continued to press. Callum Marshall fired a shot in from an angle which went inches past the upright. On 29 minutes Price got his second of the game. A sweeping move began with goalkeeper Pierce Charles playing the ball out to his brother Shea. He in turn sprayed a lovely pass to Spencer down the left. Spencer slipped the ball back to Dion Charles at the bye-line. Dion Charles appeared to be hauled down inside the penalty area but the ball ran through to Price and his deflected shot from 12 yards nestled in the back of the net. Three minutes later it was 3-0 to Northern Ireland. Price found Spencer down the left about 40 yards out and he cut inside, strode forward and unleashed a powerful low drive from 25 yards which hit the inside of the post and hit

5-0

UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE LEAGUE C - GROUP 3 15-10-2024 NATIONAL FOOTBALL STADIUM AT WINDSOR PARK

POSSESSION % SHOTS SHOTS ON TARGET CORNERS FOULS

43 12 05 07 15

57 05 01 02 12

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