Northern Ireland v Belarus (15/11/2024)

Price grabbed his hat-trick in the 81st minute. Shea Charles broke up a Bulgaria attack and eventually slipped the ball to Price 22 yards out and he blasted the ball into the top corner. It was a superb finish. On 88 minutes two substitutes combined to make it 5-0. Paul Smyth picked up a loose ball and sped towards goal before pulling the ball back to Josh Magennis and he smashed it home from 12 yards off the underside of the bar. It was another excellent finish. Northern Ireland: Pierce Charles, Trai Hume, Brodie Spencer, Paddy McNair, Eoin Toal, Alistair McCann, Conor Bradley (captain), Callum Marshall, Dion Charles, Shea Charles, Isaac Price. Substitutes: (used) Ciaron Brown, Jamie Reid, Paul Smyth, Josh Magennis, Brad Lyons; (unused) Luke Southwood, Christy Pym, Jamal Lewis, George Saville, Lee Bonis, Jordan Thompson, Caolan Boyd-Munce. Bulgaria: Dimitar Mitov, Viktor Popov, Hristiyan Petrov, Simeon Petrov, Zhivko Atanasov, Serkan Yusein, Georgi Kostadinov, Radoslav Kirilov, Filip Krastev, Kiril Despodov (captain), Martin Minchev. Substitutes: (used) Valentin Antov, Zdravko Dimitrov, Georgi Minchev, Ivalyo Chochev, Ilian Iliev; (unused) Svetoslav Vutsov (GK), Ivan Dyulgerov (GK), Ivan Minchev, Stanislav Ivanov, Angel Lyaskov, Vasil Panayotov, Ivan Turitsov.

Mitov’s trailing leg before bouncing across the line. Spencer thought he had his first senior international goal, but it was ruled to be an own goal by the keeper. As half-time approached Bulgaria were awarded a penalty. Captain Kiril Despodov whipped a dangerous free-kick into the area. Toal was adjudged to have grabbed and pushed Martin Minchev and the central defender got a yellow card after the referee pointed to the penalty spot. Despodov stepped up to take the penalty and missed it. He smashed the ball against the underside of the bar. Just after the break Martin Minchev steered an effort wide as the visitors tried to haul themselves back into the game. On 53 minutes Dion Charles scooped an effort wide of the post. Then Spencer flicked on a Marshall corner and the ball flew across the six-yard box. Northern Ireland had the ball in the net on 68 minutes but the ‘goal’ was ruled out for offside. A superb long ball from Pierce Charles found Bradley and he raced forward before clipping the ball over the keeper. It was cleared off the line by Bulgaria substitute Valentin Antov and his clearance was met by Dion Charles who tucked the ball into the net. However, Bradley was adjudged to have been offside when he received the ball from Charles just yards beyond the half-way line.

52

NIR V BLR