MX23RW : Sunday, December 22 22:53:03| >> :600:1448343:1448343:
[monks data]
Northern Ireland national football team
Euro Champ Qualifying | Playoff Final Route B
Nov 12, 2020 at 7.45pm UK
Windsor Park
Slovakia national football team

N. Ireland
1 - 2
Slovakia

Skriniar (88' og.)
Boyce (117')
FT
(aet)
Kucka (17'), Duris (110')
Duda (66'), Rodak (117')

Northern Ireland boss Ian Baraclough: 'Slovakia defeat is not the end of an era'

Northern Ireland boss Ian Baraclough: 'Slovakia defeat is not the end of an era'
© Reuters
The hosts began the night as favourites as they looked to secure qualification to a second consecutive European Championship.

Ian Baraclough denied Northern Ireland's defeat to Slovakia represented the end of an era as his side's hopes of reaching Euro 2020 were cruelly ended in a 2-1 play-off final defeat at Windsor Park.

Michal Duris struck in the 110th minute of the game after an 88th minute own goal from Milan Skriniar cancelled out Juraj Kucka's 17th minute opener to give Northern Ireland hope.

Northern Ireland began the night as favourites as they looked to secure qualification to a second consecutive European Championship, but the heroics of the famous win over Greece five years ago could not be repeated.

Northern Ireland v Slovakia – UEFA Euro 2020 – Play-offs – Final – Windsor Park
Slovakia's Michal Duris scored the winner against Northern Ireland (Liam McBurney/PA)

There has already been significant turnover in the squad since Euro 2016 as the likes of Gareth McAuley, Chris Brunt and Aaron Hughes have all moved on, and there will now be speculation over the next move for a number of senior players, not least 35-year-old skipper Steven Davis.

But Baraclough said it was too soon to talk about the futures of any of his players.

"There's not an end of an era feel," he said. "I've told the players they can all go again. It's not a case of writing anyone off.

"That's for you guys to speculate, but you'll not get that feel from me."

Northern Ireland have little time to pick themselves up, with their next fixture away to Austria on Sunday in the Nations League.

Baraclough's options could be depleted for the match. Aside from those that completed 120 minutes at Windsor Park, Stuart Dallas played on with an elbow injury while both Craig Cathcart and Paddy McNair hobbled off in extra time.

"There might be five or six from this game that don't even make the trip," Baraclough said. "That's to look at (on Friday). That's the nature of these tripleheaders that the squad has to be used to the maximum.

"Now we've got to be ready to give a big effort again in three days time.

"We've not even talked about Austria yet. It had all been about this game. We'll start to think about Austria tomorrow."

ID:422105: cacheID:422105:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:6404:
Written by
P A
No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Northern Ireland manager Ian Baraclough pictured on September 7, 2020
Read Next:
Ian Baraclough prepared to be selfish with Northern Ireland team selection
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
FT
Lions
34-17
Bears
FT
Browns
6-24
Bengals
9.25pm
Patriots
@
Bills
FT
Titans
30-38
Colts
FT
Giants
7-34
Falcons
FT
Rams
19-9
Jets
FT
Cardinals
30-36
Panthers
FT
Eagles
33-36
Washington
9.05pm
Vikings
@
Seahawks
9.25pm
49ers
@
Dolphins
9.25pm
Jags
@
Raiders
Tables header RHS

Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Cyprus Cyprus00000
2 Georgia Georgia00000
3 Norway Norway00000
Q Scotland flag Scotland00000
Q Spain Spain00000

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
Q France France00000
2 Gibraltar flag Gibraltar00000
3 Greece Greece00000
Q Netherlands Netherlands00000
5 Ireland Rep. Ireland00000

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
Q England flag England00000
Q Italy Italy00000
3 Malta flag Malta00000
4 Macedonia N. Macedonia00000
5 Ukraine Ukraine00000

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Armenia Armenia00000
Q Croatia Croatia00000
3 Latvia Latvia00000
Q Turkey Turkey00000
5 Wales flag Wales00000

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Albania national flag Albania00000
Q Czech Republic Czech Republic00000
3 Faroe Islands Faroe Islands00000
4 Republic of Moldova Moldova00000
5 Poland Poland00000

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Austria Austria00000
2 Azerbaijan Azerbaijan00000
Q Belgium Belgium00000
4 Estonia Estonia00000
5 Sweden Sweden00000

Group G

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Bulgaria Bulgaria00000
Q Hungary Hungary00000
3 Lithuania Lithuania00000
4 Montenegro Montenegro00000
Q Serbia Serbia00000

Group H

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Denmark Denmark00000
2 Finland Finland00000
3 Kazakhstan Kazakhstan00000
4 Northern Ireland flag N. Ireland00000
5 San Marino flag San Marino00000
Q Slovenia Slovenia00000

Group I

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Andorra flag Andorra00000
2 Belarus Belarus00000
3 Israel Israel00000
4 Kosovo flag Kosovo00000
Q Romania Romania00000
Q Switzerland Switzerland00000

Group J

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Bosnia Bosnia H'vina00000
2 Iceland Iceland00000
3 Liechtenstein flag Liechtenstein00000
4 Luxembourg flag Luxembourg00000
Q Portugal Portugal00000
Q Slovakia Slovakia00000


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!