Northern Ireland v Slovakia

OFFICIAL MATCHDAY PROGRAMME £4 NORTHERN IRELAND

v SLOVAKIA

# GAWA UEFA EURO 2020 PATH B PLAY-OFF FINAL NATIONAL FOOTBALL STADIUM AT WINDSOR PARK 12.11.20 19:45

CONTENTS

TEAMS

2 3 5

PRESIDENT’S WELCOME

IAN BARACLOUGH PATRICK NELSON 7 NORTHERN IRELAND SQUAD 14 INTERVIEW: NIALL McGINN 16 DID YOU KNOW? 20 THE OPPONENTS - SLOVAKIA 31 SLOVAKIA SQUAD 32 FACTFILE SLOVAKIA 34 INTERVIEW: PADDY McNAIR 36 INTERNATIONAL RECORD 45 MASCOTS 58

Irish Football Association President David Martin Deputy President Jack Grundie

Official Publication by Irish Football Association National Football Stadium at Windsor Park, Donegall Avenue, Belfast, BT12 6LW Head of Communications Danny Lynch Editor Nigel Tilson Design and Print Minprint Ltd, 401 Castlereagh Road, Belfast, Co Down, BT5 6QP Tel: 028 9070 5205 www.minprint.co.uk

Chief Executive Patrick Nelson Advertising Irish Football Association Pictures Press Eye

Please note that the views in this programme do not necessarily reflect those of the Irish Football Association.

Liam Boyce celebrates with his Northern Ireland team-mates in Sarajevo after scoring the winning spot kick in the penalty shootout victory in the Euro 2020 Path B play-off last four encounter with Bosnia and Herzegovina last month.

NORTHERN IRELAND

SLOVAKIA

Ian Baraclough Manager

Stefan Tarkovic Manager

Michael McGovern Norwich City Bailey Peacock-Farrell Burnley Conor Hazard Celtic Jonathan Evans Leicester City Craig Cathcart Watford Stuart Dallas Leeds United Shane Ferguson Millwall Conor McLaughlin Sunderland Jamal Lewis Newcastle United Michael Smith Heart of Midlothian Tom Flanagan Sunderland Daniel Ballard Blackpool* Ryan McLaughlin Rochdale Steven Davis Rangers (captain) Niall McGinn Aberdeen Patrick McNair Middlesbrough George Saville Middlesbrough Gavin Whyte Cardiff City Jordan Thompson Stoke City Ethan Galbraith Manchester United Alistair McCann St Johnstone Kyle Lafferty Reggina Josh Magennis Hull City Conor Washington Charlton Athletic Liam Boyce Heart of Midlothian

Dominik Greif Slovan Bratislava Marek Rodak Fulham Adam Jakubech Kortrijk Peter Pekarik Hertha Berlin Tomas Hubocan Omonia Nicosia Milan Skriniar Inter Milan Norbert Gyomber Salernitana David Hancko Sparta Prague Robert Mazan Mlada Boleslav Lubomir Satka Lech Poznan Martin Valjent Mallorca Lukas Pauschek Slovan Bratislava Marek Hamsik Dalian Professional Juraj Kucka Parma Robert Mak Ferencvaros Vladimir Weiss Slovan Bratislava Ondrej Duda FC Koln Jan Gregus Minnesota United Patrik Hrosovsky Genk Albert Rusnak Real Salt Lake Stanislav Lobotka Napoli Tomas Suslov Groningen Michal Duris Omonia Nicosia Pavol Safranko Sepsi Sfantu Gheorghe Samuel Mraz Zaglebie Lubin

*on loan from Arsenal

Green and White

White and Blue

Referee Assistant Referee 1 Assistant Referee 2 Fourth Official Video Assistant Referee Assistant Video Assistant Referee MATCH OFFICIALS

Felix Brych GER Mark Borsch GER Stefan Lupp GER Tobias Stieler GER Bastian Dankert GER Marco Fritz GER Hugh Dallas SCO Per Svärd SWE

Observer Delegate

2

www.irishfa.com

PRESIDENT’S WELCOME

On behalf of the Irish Football Association it gives me great pleasure to welcome the officials and players of Slovakia to the National Football Stadium in Belfast for tonight’s UEFA Euro 2020 Path B Play-off Final.

We live in incredibly different conditions to those of a year ago in Nyon when the draw was made for the Euro play-offs. The Covid-19 pandemic has changed lives throughout the world and, more importantly, the way we all move forward with our lives. It has been a challenging time for sport generally, and of course this great sport of football that we all love has had to adapt to the changes necessary to combat the spread of the disease. To date UEFA administration, with the National Associations, have successfully staged all the Nations League fixtures scheduled for this autumn together with the Euro 2020 play-off semi-finals. It is two semi-final penalty shootout wins that bring us to the Windsor Park arena for a winner takes all final game and a place at the delayed finals scheduled for next June. If the semi-final in Sarajevo is anything to go by, it will be an emotional and exciting night under the lights. Both Northern Ireland and Slovakia have struggled in the Nations League and in particular with triple headers. Such a short turnaround between games inevitably stretched the squads. The countries have played each other just four times in all, the last time being a no score draw in a friendly international in Trnava prior to the beginning of Euro

2016, so there is no form book to refer to. It is a cup final for both teams and let’s look forward to an exciting game played in the spirit of fair play. This is a huge game for the Irish FA, every player, every Northern Ireland supporter and also the entire nation as we look to qualify for successive UEFA European Championship finals. Tonight the stadiumwould normally be rocking with a full house to cheer the team on but restrictions due to Covid-19 mean that there will be around just 1300 in attendance (including players and officials). Still, in the circumstances that prevail throughout the UK, this is a significant number and I know everyone will get behind the players. The thanks of the association are due to government and Belfast City Council who have worked tirelessly with our staff to deliver the event that we are hosting tonight. Thanks to everyone attending this match. Cheer on the team. Enjoy the moment, and please keep safe inside the stadium and on the way home. David J Martin President Irish Football Association

3

www.irishfa.com

4

www.irishfa.com

MANAGER’S VIEW

Prior to our excellent penalty shootout victory against Bosnia and Herzegovina last month, which has brought us to this huge game against Slovakia in Belfast tonight, I sensed the squad were hungry for success.

If anything that desire is even more apparent this time around. The players have been keen to get down to business all week. There has been an intense focus on what we need to do to book our place at the Euro 2020 final tournament next summer. When I took on the role of Northern Ireland manager I was tasked with getting us to the European Championship finals – and it’s time to deliver on that task. Our preparations have gone extremely well and I am confident we can succeed. We know it’s a game we are capable of winning if we set our minds right and if we do the right things. Naturally, we are disappointed at losing Trevor Carson, Corry Evans and Matthew Kennedy from the squad due to injury, but I know they will be cheering us on – and hopefully we will see them next year as we prepare for another major tournament. We will not be taking Slovakia lightly, however. Like us they have struggled to make their mark in the second edition of the UEFA Nations League this season, but like us they have players capable of producing moments of magic. Naturally, we have done plenty of analysis in relation to their team. They have lots of players who are more than capable of hurting us, so we will have to concentrate fully at all times to nullify any threats. It would be remiss of me not to give a special mention to Stuart Dallas, who is set to win his 50th cap for Northern Ireland tonight. Stuart has become one of our most important players and I hope he has a night to remember.

I am delighted we will have just over 1000 fans in the stadium to cheer us on. I would have preferred a full house, of course, but in the current circumstances, with the Covid-19 pandemic still looming large, we should be thankful that we have been allowed so many fans into the ground. A big thank-you must go to the association, stadium staff and local authorities for making this happen. After tonight we will switch our attention to the Nations League. One point from four matches in that competition is not great, although some of our performances have merited more points than that. We will be striving to add to our points tally against Austria in Vienna on Sunday (15 November) and again against Romania back here at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park next Wednesday (18 November). As we discovered last month triple headers are gruelling, however we also discovered in October that we have plenty of depth to the squad and everyone is keen to play their part as we strive to avoid relegation from League B of the Nations League. I hope you all enjoy the play-off final against Slovakia and I hope we give the 1000 or so fans who have been allowed into the stadium something to cheer about alongside the tens of thousands of others watching the game on television or on other devices.. Ian Baraclough Northern Ireland Manager

5

www.irishfa.com

© 2020 adidas AG

GOOD EVENING

Welcome to Belfast for this evening’s match. Sport in general, and football in particular, are no strangers to the concept of a crunch match or a winner takes all showdown, and whatever other descriptions are given to tonight’s game against Slovakia.

It’s certainly going to be a huge evening for all of us, players and supporters alike. As tonight unfolds we will learn whether we are to be members of the cast at next year’s fabulous production UEFA EURO 2020 or just members of the audience. Will we take on Sweden and Poland in Dublin, and then Spain in Bilbao, or will we be looking on as disappointed bystanders? There is no doubt in our minds as to our destiny. Ian Baraclough, Steven Davis and the entire squad of coaches and players have only one aim in mind as they take on our opponents on the famous south Belfast turf. Although Slovakia will be given the full respect they deserve as a play-off finalist, and proud country in their own right, we know that there is only one result we are looking for tonight, and that is to win and ensure our progression to our second consecutive UEFA European Championship finals. Last time round in France in 2016 we lit up the tournament with our players and our supporters, and we want more of the same now. Speaking of supporters, we are naturally disappointed that we can’t have the normal 18,000-spectator full throated support in the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park tonight because we know we have

to do everything possible to prevent the further community transmission of the Covid-19 virus. With the valued co-operation of Belfast City Council and the Department for Communities, however, we have agreed a capacity of just over 1000 for this vital match, almost double the number who were able to attend the Austria game last month. On that night 600 supporters certainly made themselves heard, and we know that almost double that number tonight will do everything they can to create a special atmosphere and roar our team on to victory. It is no cliché that supporters can be the vital 12th man in a team and your energy will certainly transmit its way to the players who will thrive on it. So it comes down to this: 603 days after starting our UEFA EURO 2020 campaign with a home win against Estonia we have the chance to finish the task tonight with a win against Slovakia. It’s time for another chapter to be written in our illustrious history.

Enjoy the match! Patrick Nelson Chief Executive Irish Football Association

7

www.irishfa.com

NORWAY 1 DALLAS 67' OG NORTHERN IRELAND 0

UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE LEAGUE B GROUP 1 14.10.2020 Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo STATS

POSSESSION %

61

39

SHOTS

11

6

SHOTS ON TARGET

5

4

CORNERS

9

3

FOULS

15

10

TEAMS

12 Hansen 14 Elabdellaoui 6 Strandberg 3 Ajer 2 Meling 10 Ødegaard 15 Berge 21 Normann 11 Elyounoussi 7 King 23 Haaland

12 Carson 3 Smith 22 Ballard 5 J Evans

Substitutes 4 Flanagan 11 Ferguson 15 Thompson 13 C Evans 6 Saville 21 Magennis 16 Washington 2 McLaughlin 7 McGinn 8 Davis 9 Boyce 10 Lafferty 14 Dallas 17 McNair 18 Whyte 19 Cooper 20 McCann 23 McGovern

Substitutes

1 Jarstein 4 Østigard 5 Rosted 8 Johansen 9 Sørloth 13 Løvseth Rossbach 16 Svensson

17 Linnes 18 Midtsjø 19 Henriksen 20 Hauge 22 Thorsby

8

www.irishfa.com

9

www.irishfa.com

NORTHERN IRELAND 0 AUSTRIA 1 GREGORITSCH 42'

UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE LEAGUE B GROUP 1 11.10.2020 National Football Stadium at Windsor Park

STATS

POSSESSION %

44

56

SHOTS

3

13

SHOTS ON TARGET

1

5

CORNERS

3

5

FOULS

13

11

TEAMS

1 McGovern 2 McLaughlin 20 Cathcart 5 J Evans

2 Pervan 21 Lainer

3 Dragovic 4 Hinteregger 8 Alaba 15 Ranftl 6 Ilsanker 14 Baumgartlinger 19 Baumgartner 11 Gregoritsch 23 Schlager

3 Lewis 8 Davis

14 Dallas 18 Whyte 17 McNair 19 Jones 10 Lafferty

Substitutes

Substitutes 1 Lindner 2 Ullmann 5 Posch 7 Grbic

4 Flanagan 6 Smith 7 McGinn 9 Boyce 11 Ferguson 12 Carson 13 C Evans

9 Kalajdzic 10 Grillitsch 13 Siebenhandl 16 Trimmel 17 Holzhauser

15 Thompson 16 Washington 21 Magennis 22 Ballard 23 Peacock-Farrell

18 Schöpf 20 Onisiwo 22 Schaub

10

www.irishfa.com

11

www.irishfa.com

EXCLUSIVE RETAIL PARTNER

NORTHERN IRELAND SQUAD

MICHAEL McGOVERN GOALKEEPER

JONATHAN EVANS DEFENDER

CONOR HAZARD GOALKEEPER

BAILEY PEACOCK-FARRELL GOALKEEPER

Club

Club

Celtic Club

Club

Norwich City

Burnley

Leicester City

Age Caps Goals 36 32 0

Age Caps Goals

Age Caps Goals 22 1 0 *on loan from Celtic

Age Caps Goals 32 87 4

24 17

0

SHANE FERGUSON DEFENDER

CRAIG CATHCART DEFENDER

STUART DALLAS DEFENDER

CONOR McLAUGHLIN DEFENDER

Club

Club

Club

Club

Watford

Leeds United

Millwall

Sunderland

Age Caps Goals 31 54 2

Age Caps Goals 29 49 3

Age Caps Goals 29 44 1

Age Caps Goals 29 40 1

JAMAL LEWIS DEFENDER

MICHAEL SMITH DEFENDER

TOM FLANAGAN DEFENDER

DANIEL BALLARD DEFENDER

Club

Club

Club

Club

Newcastle United

Heart of Midlothian

Sunderland

Blackpool

Age Caps Goals 22 15 0

Age Caps Goals 32 12 1

Age Caps Goals 28 6 0

Age Caps Goals 21 3 0

*On loan from Arsenal

14

www.irishfa.com

RYAN McLAUGHLIN DEFENDER

STEVEN DAVIS MIDFIELDER

NIALL McGINN MIDFIELDER

PATRICK McNAIR MIDFIELDER

Club

Club

Club

Club

Rochdale

Rangers

Aberdeen

Middlesbrough

Age Caps Goals 26 5 0

Age Caps Goals 35 122 12

Age Caps Goals 33 61 5

Age Caps Goals 25 39 4

GEORGE SAVILLE MIDFIELDER

GAVIN WHYTE MIDFIELDER

JORDAN THOMPSON MIDFIELDER

ETHAN GALBRAITH MIDFIELDER

Club

Club

Club

Club

Middlesbrough

Cardiff City

Stoke City

Manchester United

Age Caps Goals

Age Caps Goals 24 13 2

Age Caps Goals 23 11 0

Age Caps Goals 19 1 0

27

25 0

ALISTAIR McCANN MIDFIELDER

KYLE LAFFERTY FORWARD

JOSH MAGENNIS FORWARD

CONOR WASHINGTON

LIAM BOYCE FORWARD

FORWARD

Club

Club

Club

Club

Club

Charlton Athletic

Heart of Midlothian Age Caps Goals 29 24 1

St Johnstone

Reggina

Hull City

Age Caps Goals 20 0 0

Age Caps Goals 33 78 20

Age Caps Goals 30 54 7

Age Caps Goals

28 26 4

15

www.irishfa.com

Words Darren Fullerton Daily Mirror

HUNGRY FOR A RETURN TO THE BIG STAGE Niall McGinn is confident Northern Ireland have the big game nous to deal with tonight’s UEFA Euro 2020 Path B Play-Off Final with Slovakia.

The stakes will be as high and precipitous as the north face of the Eiger with a place at next summer’s finals up for grabs at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park. Not a landscape for the faint-hearted, but Aberdeen winger McGinn believes the Northern Ireland squad are battle-hardened and experienced enough to deal with all eventualities. Senior members of the current squad are certainly no strangers to daunting dates, both in recent qualifying campaigns and at UEFA Euro 2016 in France.

McGinn, who scored in the famous win over Ukraine in Lyon just over four years ago, said: “It’s important that a lot of the boys have been down this road before. “To get across the line against Slovakia it will take a combination of a lot of things - working hard, playing well but also using that experience of the past to help us. “In big games at Windsor Park in recent years we’ve shown we can be a match for anyone and we’re always confident playing big games here.

16

www.irishfa.com

17

www.irishfa.com

“We know what’s at stake. We have a chance to qualify for another major tournament and it’s a massive incentive.” Six of Northern Ireland’s starting line-up in last month’s play-off semi-final penalty shootout win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo boast 50-plus caps apiece. Steven Davis has played a record 122 times for his country, while Jonny Evans, Craig Cathcart, Josh Magennis and Corry Evans have amassed 259 caps between them. Add in McGinn, who has racked up 61 appearances since his debut in 2008, plus Leeds United’s Stuart Dallas on 49 and it’s clear to see that Ian Baraclough has a wealth of experience at his disposal. McGinn said: “I do think it’s important that we have a lot of players who have played in big games like this before. “It’s also good to know that there are other guys in the squad - the likes of Liam Boyce - who weren’t at Euro 2016 and are just as hungry to get to another tournament. “Liam didn’t make the cut for France but kept his head down, kept working hard and has shown he can really step up on the international stage. “Players like him will be just as keen to play at a major tournament, so all in all we definitely have the squad and experience to get the result we need.” McGinn, who fired home a vital equaliser against the Bosnians in Sarajevo five weeks ago, says new boss Baraclough is also determined to add a major tournament to his CV. The Englishman succeeded Michael O’Neill, who led Northern Ireland to the knockout stages of Euro 2016, as national team manager in the summer. “There is a hunger there, not only from the boys who were in France but also from the lads who have come into the squad in more recent times. That motivation also comes from the manager. He has said numerous times he wants to be a manager who takes Northern Ireland to a major tournament,” the experienced winger said. “I know Ian will be doing everything to achieve that and that goes for the players as well. It’s a huge opportunity and one we’re looking forward to.”

NIALL McGINN

Position Right Wing Date Of Birth 20.07.1987 Place Of Birth Donaghmore

RIGHT WING

Height 183cm Weight 75kg

CLUB RECORD

10

SQUAD NO

CLUBS Dungannon Swifts

42 31 28 37

Derry City

Celtic

Brentford (loan)

Aberdeen Gwangju Aberdeen

179

7

74

INTERNATIONAL RECORD

7

SQUAD NO

Debut 19.11.08 v Hungary (H) Lost 0-2 Northern Ireland U23 Northern Ireland B

Caps 61 Goals 5

2 1

19

www.irishfa.com

DID YOU KNOW?

Words Marshall Gillespie

Tonight’s Play-Off Final will be our fifth full international meeting with Slovakia and our third against them at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park. Our first encounter with them, in April 1998, ended in a 1-0 home success thanks to a second half winner from Steve Lomas. The next two contests came in World Cup qualifiers and both ended in defeat, going down 2-1 in Bratislava followed by a 2-0 reverse in Belfast. The last international encounter between the sides was just prior to Euro 2016 in Trnava. The game ended goalless.

On 25 March 1998 then Northern Ireland manager Lawrie McMenemy, in his first match in charge, gave 18-year-old Newcastle United defender Aaron Hughes his full international debut in a friendly against Slovakia in Belfast which ended in a 1-0 victory for the home side. Fast forward 18 years to 4 June 2016 and ironically Slovakia were again the opposition as a now 36-year-old Hughes won his 100th Northern Ireland cap in a scoreless draw in Trnava!

There are 12 players in the squad for this evening’s game who were in Michael O’Neill’s panel for both legs of the World Cup play-off matches versus Switzerland back in November 2017. They are: Michael McGovern, Jonny Evans, Stuart Dallas, Shane Ferguson, Conor McLaughlin, Steven Davis, Corry Evans, Paddy McNair, George Saville, Kyle Lafferty, Josh Magennis and Conor Washington.

Craig Cathcart has won 36 of his 54 caps while at Watford. When Cathcart made his 32nd appearance for Northern Ireland as a Hornets player in the 6-1 defeat in Germany last November he overtook the record of 31 which was jointly held by England’s John Barnes and Kenny Jackett of Wales. It should also be noted that Northern Ireland legend Gerry Armstrong won 21 of his 63 caps while at Vicarage Road and John McClelland made 20 of his 53 appearances in Watford colours.

When Shane Ferguson won his 25th international cap as a Millwall player in Northern Ireland’s 5-1 home defeat to Norway at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park earlier this autumn, he became the south London club’s most capped international. The 29-year-old overtook the record which was previously held by Republic of Ireland goalkeeper David Forde who made 24 appearances for his country while at the Den between 2011 and 2016. Ferguson extended that Millwall record to 26 when he played in the 1-0 defeat in Norway last month.

20

www.irishfa.com

If, as expected, Stuart Dallas wins his 50th international cap this evening against Slovakia he will become the 41st player to reach a half century of appearances for Northern Ireland. To date 44 of his 49 caps have been as a Leeds United player, four while plying his trade at Brentford and one, in May 2011, his debut, when he was still in the Irish League with Crusaders.

This evening’s Euro 2020 Path B Play-Off Final will be Northern Ireland’s 124th match in the European Championship competition, which includes qualifiers and games played at Euro 2016. In total we have won 46 of those matches and lost 51, however our home record in the competition is infinitely better than our away record. Of the 58 matches we have played at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park a total of 28 have ended in victory and 18 in defeat, while we have scored 75 goals and conceded 63.

Tonight will be only the third time that Northern Ireland will have played a full international match on 12 November. The first occasion was back in 1986 when Billy Bingham’s side earned a point against Turkey following a goalless draw in a European Championship qualifier in Izmir. The last occasion was in 2017 when they again drew 0-0, this time in Basel versus Switzerland in the second leg of the World Cup 2018 play-off, which Northern Ireland unfortunately lost 1-0 on aggregate.

Northern Ireland players with the most appearances in European Championship qualifiers and finals 42 Aaron Hughes 37 Chris Baird 33 Kyle Lafferty 32 Keith Gillespie 31 Jonny Evans 30 matches are: Steven Davis

If Jordan Thompson manages to score against Slovakia tonight he will become only the second Stoke City player ever to find the net for Northern Ireland and the first in nearly 37 years. The previous one to do so was Sammy McIlroy who scored two goals for his country while attached to the Potters. The first came against Scotland in April 1982 and his second against the same opposition in Belfast in December 1983.

21

www.irishfa.com

SLOVAKIA’S ROLLERCOASTER RIDE

One of European football’s newer nations has experienced its fair share of ups and downs over the past 27 years.

Slovakia – officially the Slovak Republic – became an independent state on 1 January 1993 following the dissolution of the former Czechoslovakia. The Slovak Football Association (Slovenský Futbalový Zväz) was re-established soon after and the nation’s football team played its first official match in over 50 years in February 1994 as the Sokoli (Falcons) beat United Arab Emirates 1-0 in Dubai. The Slovak Republic had previously been a partly- recognised client state of Nazi Germany, with the Slovak national team playing matches between 1939 and 1945 before being subsumed by the former Czechoslovakia. Slovakian-born footballers played a key role in Czechoslovakia’s successes between 1945 and 1992. Nine Slovak players were included in the Czech squad that were runners-up at the 1962 FIFA World Cup in Chile, while 14 of the 22-man squad that won the European Championships in 1976 came from Slovakia. Slovakia became an affiliated member of UEFA in 1993 and joined FIFA a year later. Over the last 27 years they have shown considerable progress, rising from 150th position in the FIFA World Rankings in December 1993 to a peak of 14th in August 2015. The Sokoli qualified for their first major tournament as an independent nation when they made it to the 2010 FIFA World Cup having previously suffered a qualifying play-off defeat to Spain in their attempt to reach the 2006 finals. Under the management of Vladmir Weiss they finished second in Group F at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. After a 1-1 draw with New Zealand and losing to Paraguay, Weiss’ team reached the knockout phase with a memorable 3-2 victory over Italy. Robert Vittek netted twice in Johannesburg.

Slovakia star Marek Hamsik in action back in 2016.

Vittek got his fourth goal of that particular World Cup from the penalty spot in a 2-1 defeat to the Netherlands in the Round of 16. Slovakia got revenge for their previous defeat to Spain with a 2-1 victory over the then world champions in a UEFA Euro 2016 Qualifying Group C match enroute to making it to their first European Championship finals. As they had done at the World Cup six years earlier, the Sokoli impressed at the Euros. After defeat to Wales in their opening Group B fixture, Ján Kozák’s side defeated Russia 2-1. The team’s current star man, Marek Hamšík, scored in that game. A goalless draw with England in the final group match saw them through to the tournament’s knockout phase as one of the best third-placed teams in the six groups. Alas a 3-0 defeat to Germany in the Round of 16 halted their progress. There was huge disappointment for Slovakia in October 2017. Even though a 3-0 win over Malta confirmed a second-place finish in FIFA World Cup Qualifying Group F the Sokoli were denied the opportunity to compete in a play-off, as the second- placed team with the lowest points total. The other eight runners-up in the nine groups – including Northern Ireland – took part in two-legged play-offs. Words Andy Greeves

23

www.irishfa.com

Shop Now at uk.foco.com

SCOUTING REPORT Andy Greeves takes a closer look at Slovakia ahead of tonight’s UEFA Euro 2020 Path B Play-Off Final clash in Belfast.

attack. They managed to get a 1-1 draw away in Israel in a recent UEFA Nations League fixture (7 September) despite having 35% possession during the game. Marek Hamšík usually takes Slovakia’s attacking set-pieces, including corners from both sides of the pitch. Unlike most players, who favour using one foot or the other, Hamšík is comfortable with both feet and will often vary which one he uses to take corners during a match. The Falcons’ central defenders usually come up for corners and free-kicks. STRENGTHS Hamšík is Slovakia’s playmaker and an individual who is capable of conjuring up something from nothing. Coupled with his innate ability on the ball, the former Napoli star is afforded a relatively free role in Tarkovič’s team, which makes him extremely difficult to mark. While Tarkovič’s side are happy to play a counter-attacking style of football, they are also blessed with a number of good passers such as Hamšík as well as Stanislav Lobotka and Juraj Kucka. Slovakia are comfortable playing out from the back with defenders who are calm and composed in possession. Albert Rusnák poses a real threat in wide positions and often exploits the space left by opponents who put too much focus in trying to stop the attacking endeavours of Hamšík.

LOWDOWN Having finished third in UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying Group E, Slovakia failed to qualify automatically for the tournament. Like Northern Ireland the Falcons made it into the play-offs as one of four countries from the UEFA Nations League B (2018-19) who did not qualify for UEFA Euro 2020 automatically. Following the dismissal of head coach Pavel Hapal last month, Štefan Tarkovič took temporary charge of the Slovakia national team, with his current contract running until the end of November. Should Tarkovič lead his nation to qualify for just their second UEFA European Championships as an independent state (following the dissolution of the former Czechoslovakia in 1993) he would surely be the frontrunner to be appointed as the national team’s next permanent head coach. TACTICS Slovakia usually line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation that appears more like a 4-3-3 when in possession and a 4-1-4-1 or 4-6-0 without the ball. With Róbert Boženík unlikely to feature in this match due to a foot injury, 1.FC Köln midfielder Ondrej Duda may be deployed as a ‘false 9’, as was the case for Slovakia’s UEFA Euro 2020 play-off semi-final meeting with the Republic of Ireland. Tarkovič’s team are comfortable sitting deep and look to hit their opponents on the counter

Many thanks to journalist Fabian Zerche (www.spox.com/at) for his assistance in the writing of this article. Many thanks to journalist Lukáš Vráblik (Twitter: @LukasVrablik) for his assistance in the writing of this article.

Liam Boyce steps up to score the all- important spot kick during the penalty shootout in Sarajevo last month.

26

www.irishfa.com

WILLIAM McCRUM WOULD HAVE BEEN SO PROUD!

So now we know. It might have taken us 129 years to get there but now we know that Northern Ireland can win matches via a penalty shootout, or as you perfectionists out there call them: kicks from the penalty mark as approved by the International Football Association Board.

How did you cope on 8 October? I have written here before of my love of penalty shootouts, however the theory and the reality are two separate things. It’s quite all right when it’s club teams involved, teams in which you have no investment. We can admire the skill, the hoppers, the Panenkas, the blasters. We can squirm with the goalkeepers as they confidently dive into the empty space as the ball whizzes past them into the opposite side of the net or they nearly get a hand to it. And we can also cheer when the cocky taker blasts the ball over the bar or sees their effort parried by the spread-eagled goalie. We can enjoy the finale, the winning penalty or save or indeed miss. Metaphorically we are diving on top of the kicker or the goalie. It is, we all now know, a very different experience when it’s your team; your team that has never participated in such a process before. Unchartered waters. To use the 2020 cliché: unprecedented. There were three of us sharing the pressure in our house as Stuart, Kyle, George, Conor and Liam strode forward in Sarajevo. We were all standing in front of the television, three of us pacing, three of us turning away not able to watch, but peering through our fingers nonetheless, three of us cheering and fist pumping. It was something you needed to share with friends and loved ones. This was not a time to be alone. Neighbours (not watching the match – could any have existed?) would have no doubt wondered about the agonies we were experiencing should

they have phoned the emergency services to report the goings-on in our living room? Given the decibel levels of the guttural yell of elation as Liam Boyce’s kick smashed into the net it’s a wonder it wasn’t heard in Sarajevo. As the instigators of the penalty it is surely only fair that we should get our chance to shine in its spotlight. No doubt William McCrum and his mates from Milford FC in Co Armagh, who came up with the concept of the penalty kick all those years ago, would have been pleased. Of course tonight we bring another piece of football history to Belfast. This will be the first match in Northern Ireland with VAR. Now, that’s a sobering thought. Pitchside monitors and a team of video officials secreted somewhere in the stadium. My thoughts go back a couple of years when we might have been glad of such an innovation. It’s great to be in this position. Extra time, penalties and VAR are all part and parcel of the latter parts of tournaments, and that’s the place we always want to be. Let’s hope it’s not another 129 years until our next penalty shootout and that VAR can operate in the National Football Stadium many more times. It’s what the class of 1891 would have wanted and

expected. Bring it on!

Words William Campbell

27

www.irishfa.com

PASSPORT VALID, BAG PACKED & MATCH TICKET SECURED?

WE’LL BE READY WHEN WE GET THE GREEN (& WHITE) LIGHT!

The Official Northern Ireland Supporters Travel Partner

Follow us on

travel-solutions.co.uk Book with Confidence, visit

EXCLUSIVE IFA OFFER

THE MOST POWERFUL FOOTBALL GPS TRACKER IN THE WORLD. Make every training session count. Get 10% OFF your IFA Edition Apex Athlete Series. Enter discount code IFA10

P U R C H A S E A T S T A T S P O R T S . C O M

OFFICIAL GPS PLAYER PERFORMANCE PARTNER OF THE IRISH FA

EXCLUSIVE RETAIL PARTNER

Words Liam Blackburn

SLOVAKIA THE COACH Stefan Tarkovic was parachuted in as interim manager only 23 days ago once Pavel Hapal was sacked shortly after Slovakia’s win over the Republic of Ireland in the Euro 2020 Path B play-off semi-final.

Tarkovic is familiar with the international set-up, however, having previously served as Jan Kozak’s assistant between 2013 and 2018. During that time Slovakia reached Euro 2016 – their first European Championship finals and only their second major tournament. “The most important thing for us is that it is a person that knows the team,” Slovak Football Association president Jan Kovacik said when announcing Tarkovic’s appointment until the end of November. This is not the first time Tarkovic has been asked to lead the team on a temporary basis either. Back in October 2018 Kozak vacated his post after two defeats and recommended Tarkovic should be his successor. “He is a straight guy who’s been with me all the time for good and bad things,” Kozak said of Tarkovic at his final press conference. “He is a great person and there are few of them.” As it turned out he had the role for just one game – taking charge of a 1-1 friendly draw against Sweden, when Albert Rusnak’s 84th minute goal cancelled out John Guidetti’s opener in Stockholm. Hapal took over following that game and so this play-off final in Belfast will be the first game Tarkovic has taken charge of in two years. His previous managerial experience has been limited to short-term roles with MFK Kosice, Tatran Presov and Zilina in his homeland. “On the one hand it is an honour. On the other hand leading the team to the finals of the European

Championships is also a great responsibility. I am fully aware of that,” Tarkovic said of taking the reins. Marek Mintal and Samuel Slovak – both former Slovakia internationals in their playing days – will be Tarkovic’s assistants. “I’m used to teamwork; I’m a team player,” Tarkovic added. “I suddenly take it as a crisis situation and I want all members of the team to have experience. They are successful players with a representative career.” » Tarkovic was born in Presov and played for Tatran Presov – a club he later managed – but a serious ankle injury at the age of 24 prevented him from enjoying great success as a player. » One of his team-mates and close friends at Tatran Presov was Slovakia international Stanislav Varga, who later played for Sunderland, Celtic, West Brom and Burnley. » In January 2019 Tarkovic was appointed as the Slovak Football Association’s technical director. » The 47-year-old is also a ‘doctor’, having written a thesis during his time at the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports at Bratislava’s Comenius University.

31

www.irishfa.com

SLOVAKIA SQUAD

Words Liam Blackburn

GOALKEEPERS

MAREK RODAK FULHAM

DOMINIK GREIF SLOVAN BRATISLAVA

ADAM JAKUBECH KORTRIJK

Age Caps 4 Goals 0

23

Age Caps 1 Goals 0

23

Age Caps 2 Goals 0

23

Bratislava-born stopper who has spent his entire career with hometown club Slovan, who have won the previous two top flight titles in Slovakia. After two appearances in friendlies in 2019, Greif started Nations League games in September and October, though he is yet to keep a clean sheet.

Rodak joined Fulham’s academy permanently in 2013 and had spells on loan with Farnborough, Welling United, Accrington Stanley and Rotherham United. He made his Premier League debut in the season-opening 3-0 loss to Arsenal in September and saved Alan Browne’s penalty in the play-off semi-final shootout win over the Republic of Ireland.

Jakubech is currently on loan with Belgian cub Kortrijk from French side Lille and he has made 12 league starts this season. Formerly of Spartak Trnava, the goalkeeper’s first call-up to Slovakia’s senior squad was in January 2017 when the nation played friendlies in Abu Dhabi against Uganda and Sweden.

DEFENDERS

PETER PEKARIK HERTHA BERLIN

TOMAS HUBOCAN OMONIA NICOSIA

MILAN SKRINIAR INTER MILAN

Age Caps

34 94

Age Caps

35 65

Age Caps

25 33

Goals 2

Goals 0

Goals 0

A right back who is currently fourth on the list of most capped Slovakia players, having debuted in 2006. Pekarik started three of the four games in his country’s only World Cup campaign in 2010. His honours include a Bundesliga title, which he won while with Wolfsburg in the 2008- 09 season.

Hubocan has come out of international retirement to make this squad, having initially made a farewell appearance in October 2019. Between 2008 and 2014 Hubocan played for Zenit St Petersburg in Russia, replacing compatriot Martin Skrtel, and he later had spells in France with Olympique Marseille and Turkey with Trabzonspor.

Considered to be one of the best young centre backs in Europe, Skriniar joined Inter from Sampdoria in 2017 and reached 100 appearances – all of them starts – for the Serie A club last year. He played every minute of the eight matches Slovakia had in the group stage for Euro 2020 qualification.

NORBERT GYOMBER SALERNITANA

DAVID HANCKO SPARTA PRAGUE

ROBERT MAZAN MLADA BOLESLAV

Age Caps

28 26

Age Caps

22 12

Age Caps

26 10

Goals 0

Goals 1

Goals 0

Plays his club football in Italy with Serie B side Salernitana, having previously featured for Catania, Roma, Pescara, Bari and Perugia. A centre back who can also play as a defensive midfielder, Gyomber was named in Slovakia’s squad at Euro 2016 and made two appearances in the run to the last 16.

Two years ago Hancko was included on a UEFA list of the most promising talents for 2018 alongside Milan Skriniar and was being compared to Italy great Paolo Maldini. Hancko moved to Italy that year, joining Fiorentina, though he is currently on loan with Sparta Prague in the Czech top flight.

Left back Mazan plays his domestic football in the Czech Republic, having joined Mlada Boleslav in September after a three-year spell with Celta Vigo in which he only played three times in La Liga. Won his first international cap in 2017 but has struggled to nail down a regular spot in the team.

LUBOMIR SATKA LECH POZNAN

MARTIN VALJENT MALLORCA

LUKAS PAUSCHEK SLOVAN BRATISLAVA

Age Caps 9 Goals 0

24

Age Caps 8 Goals 0

24

Age Caps 5 Goals 0

27

Previously captained Newcastle United’s Under-21s but only made one senior appearance for the Magpies and, after returning to Slovakia three years ago, he now plays his club football in Poland. Represented his country at various youth levels but it is over a year since he won his last cap.

Valjent, who can play at either centre back or right back, is a regular with Mallorca in Spain. He started 36 of their 38 La Liga games in 2019-20 and has continued to feature for them following their relegation. Has played in all five of Slovakia’s games this season, starting in four of them.

Returned to Slovan in 2019, having started his career there. A winner of three Slovak league titles and a trio of Slovak cups, Pauschek won his first international cap in 2012, though it has been four years since he last pulled on his national shirt in a senior game.

32

www.irishfa.com

MIDFIELDERS

MAREK HAMSIK DALIAN PROFESSIONAL

JURAJ KUCKA PARMA

ROBERT MAK FERENCVAROS

Age Caps

33

Age Caps

33 76

Age Caps 61 Goals 13 29

123

Goals 26

Goals 9

The veteran midfielder with the unmistakable mohawk is both his country’s most capped player and the man with the most goals, too. Hamsik, the eight- time Slovak Footballer of the Year, spent 12 years with Napoli and became the Serie A side’s all-time top scorer before moving to the Chinese Super League last year.

Kucka has spent most of his club career in Italy, with spells at Serie A clubs Genoa, AC Milan and now Parma. He played in three of his country’s World Cup 2010 matches and still carries a goal threat having scored twice last year in Euro 2020 qualifiers against Wales and Azerbaijan.

Was part of Manchester City’s 2008 FA Youth Cup-winning side, having joined the club as a 13-year-old. Mak has played in Germany, Greece, Russia, Turkey and Hungary during a nomadic career. He has been a regular for his country throughout and registered his 13th international goal last month in the 3-2 loss to Israel.

VLADIMIR WEISS SLOVAN BRATISLAVA

ONDREJ DUDA FC KOLN

JAN GREGUS MINNESOTA UNITED

Age Caps

30 66

Age Caps 40 Goals 5 25

Age 29 Caps 29 Goals 3

Goals 7

Another former Man City man, Weiss played alongside Northern Ireland quartet Steven Davis, David Healy, Kyle Lafferty and Andrew Little in a loan spell with Rangers’ 2010-11 title-winning team. He is the son of a former Slovakia coach – also called Vladimir Weiss – and will hope to make his first international appearance in two years.

Duda spent the second half of last season as a team-mate of Jamal Lewis with Norwich City in the Premier League. After that loan spell ended he joined Bundesliga club FC Koln. He played in three of his country’s four matches at Euro 2016, scoring in the 2-1 loss to Wales.

Gregus is approaching two years with MLS club Minnesota United in the United States after a two-year spell in Denmark with Copenhagen. He came off the bench and scored Slovakia’s fourth penalty in their 4-2 shootout win over the Republic of Ireland in the Path B semi-final play-off.

PATRIK HROSOVSKY GENK

ALBERT RUSNAK REAL SALT LAKE

STANISLAV LOBOTKA NAPOLI

TOMAS SUSLOV GRONINGEN

Age Caps

28 28

Age Caps 27 Goals 5 26

Age Caps

25 24

Age Caps 0 Goals 0

18

Goals 0

Goals 3

Hrosovsky was another who converted his penalty in the shootout against the Republic, having played the entire game in the middle of midfield. Spent most of his career with Viktoria Plzen but moved to Genk in 2019 and was a regular during their 2019-20 Champions League campaign when the Belgian side faced Napoli, Salzburg and Liverpool.

Rusnak also spent time in Manchester City’s academy and enjoyed loan spells with Oldham Athletic and Birmingham City in England. He has made 106 appearances for Real Salt Lake City, scoring 30 times and providing 28 assists. He was a regular during the Euro 2020 qualifiers on the right side of Slovakia’s midfield.

Made a big money move to Napoli in January after two and a half years with Celta Vigo in Spain. He won his first senior cap in 2016 and his maiden international goal came at Wembley the following year when he put his country ahead in a 2-1 loss to England.

Highly rated diminutive youngster who currently calls Dutch great Arjen Robben one of his team-mates at Eredivisie side Groningen. Suslov, who scored his first league goal against PSV Eindhoven in September, has represented Slovakia at various age groups and this is his maiden call-up to the senior set-up.

STRIKERS

MICHAL DURIS OMONIA NICOSIA

PAVOL SAFRANKO SEPSI SFANTU GHEORGHE

SAMUEL MRAZ ZAGLEBIE LUBIN

Age Caps

32 48

Age Caps 8 Goals 0

25

Age Caps 3 Goals 1

23

Goals 6

Duris made his first international appearance for Slovakia way back in 2012 and he bagged a brace in a friendly win over Switzerland in 2015. He spent the bulk of his career in the Czech Republic with Viktoria Plzen, though he now plays his club football in Cyprus.

Safranko will be familiar to fans of Scottish football as he spent the 2018-19 season on loan with Championship side Dundee United, scoring 15 times in all competitions. Though the Tangerines were keen to keep him at Tannadice, he returned to parent club AaB and now calls Romania home.

Currently on his third loan spell away from Italian club Empoli. He’s now with Polish side Zaglebie Lubin following stints with Crotone and Brondby. Mraz previously impressed at Zilina – he was the Slovak Super Liga Player of the Year for 2017-18 – and then scored on his Serie A debut. His only international goal came against Jordan in 2019.

33

www.irishfa.com

FACTFILE SLOVAKIA Words Liam Blackburn

INTERNATIONAL

» Slovakia come into this play-off final with a new manager, Stefan Tarkovic, and having won just one of their previous five games – the play-off semi- final win over the Republic of Ireland in a penalty shootout last month. » In their four Nations League games to date this season they have drawn once but have been beaten by Czech Republic, Scotland and Israel. » They are aiming to reach their second European Championship finals, having first been involved at Euro 2016. » It was prior to that tournament four years ago when Slovakia most recently faced Northern Ireland in both teams’ final game before heading to France. It finished as a 0-0 draw in Trnava as Michael O’Neill’s side extended their unbeaten run to a record 12 games on a night when Aaron Hughes won his 100th cap as a 30th minute substitute for Craig Cathcart. » At Euro 2016 Slovakia were drawn in a group alongside Wales, England and Russia. After losing to Wales in their opening fixture in Bordeaux, they beat Russia 2-1 and then drew 0-0 with England to qualify as one of the best third-placed teams. » They came up against Germany in the Round of 16 and the reigning World Cup champions triumphed with a 3-0 win. » That was only the second time Slovakia had made a major finals – the other coming at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. » The Slovaks finished top of their qualifying group for the 2010 World Cup. They defeated Nigel Worthington’s Northern Ireland home and away and also pipped Slovenia and Czech Republic in Group 3. » At the World Cup Slovakia faced New Zealand, Paraguay and reigning holders Italy in the group stage. After drawing with New Zealand and losing to Paraguay, Slovakia beat the Italians 3-2 to knock out the 2006 winners in one of the most thrilling World Cup games ever. Robert Vittek scored a goal in either half before Kamil Kopunek added a third. » In the last 16 Slovakia faced the Netherlands in Durban and were beaten 2-1 by the Oranje, who went on to reach the final. » Slovakia’s first official match as an independent nation following the 1993 dissolution of Czechoslovakia was a friendly win over the United Arab Emirates on 2 February 2 1994. » Current captain Marek Hamsik is both the country’s all-time leading scorer and the man with

the most caps, having registered 26 goals in 123 international appearances. » Hamsik, who holds the record for the most appearances at Serie A club Napoli, is one of several Slovakian players to have played for Europe’s leading teams. Martin Skrtel spent eight years at Liverpool, Peter Dubovsky was with Real Madrid and Milan Skriniar is a regular at the heart of Inter Milan’s defence. » There have been 15 managers in Slovakia’s history – either permanent or temporary – and only one has been foreign: Czech Pavel Hapal, who led the team between October 2018 and October 2020. » Jan Kozak is the longest serving and most successful manager in Slovakia’s history having won 29 of his 56 games at the helm, which included their participation at Euro 2016. » When Slovakia and the Czech Republic were united, Czechoslovakia had plenty of success on the international stage, with Slovakians playing a major role in that. Jozef Venglos, who was born in a town in northern Slovakia, was on the coaching staff at the 1976 European Championship, which Czechoslovakia won. » Venglos later took charge of Czechoslovakia himself on two separate occasions and he led the team to the 1980 European Championship semi-finals and the 1990 World Cup quarter-finals. Venglos later managed in Portugal, England, Turkey, Scotland and Japan, managing both Aston Villa and Celtic during the 1990s. » Perhaps the most famous player to play for Czechoslovakia with a Slovak background was Ladislav Kubala, who scored 194 goals in 281 games for Barcelona – a total only bettered by Lionel Messi, Cesar Rodriguez and Luis Suarez in the club’s history. » Slovakia were 37th in the most recent FIFA rankings, sandwiched between the Republic of Ireland and South Korea. Their average position since the system was created is 38th and they reached their highest position of 14th when they qualified for Euro 2016. » They play international games in Trnava or in the capital at the Tehelne Pole, a new 22,500-seater national stadium which was finished in 2019 and is also home to Slovan Bratislava. » In four meetings with Northern Ireland they have won two, drawn one and lost once. Their defeat came in a friendly in Belfast in 1998 when Steve Lomas scored a second half winner for Lawrie McMenemy’s men.

34

www.irishfa.com