Northern Ireland have left themselves in a position to clinch a place at Euro 2016 in their next match after beating the Faroe Islands 3-1 this evening.

Gareth McAuley scored twice, heading in from set pieces for both goals to lead the visitors back to top spot in Group F.

The sides were level at the break after Joan Edmundsson equalised, but the midfielder was sent off in the second half, leaving McAuley and Kyle Lafferty to secure the win for Michael O'Neill's side.

Here, Sports Mole rates the individual performances of the players involved.

Goal

Gunnar Nielsen: The former Blackburn Rovers and Manchester City goalkeeper made a few decent saves to stop Northern Ireland running the score up, including one spectacular stop to keep Josh Magennis out late on. (7/10)

Defence

Jonas Tor Naes: The left-back was quiet in the first half, but made some vital blocks and challenged in the second half as the hosts tried to stay in the game while down to 10 men. (6/10)

Sonni Nattestad: The young defender was at fault for the first goal, giving McAuley far too much space in the box, but he did get the assist for the Faroes' only goal of the night. (5/10)

Odmar Faero: Faero was probably the most consistent of the defenders throughout the 90 minutes, and showed intent bringing the ball out from the back to try to create something on the counter-attack. (7/10)

Midfield

Hallur Hansson: Hansson was certainly busy throughout the match, winning the ball back on numerous occasions, while also giving away several free kicks. It was more good than bad from the physical midfielder though. (6/10)

Frodi Benjaminsen: The ever-present captain toiled hard throughout the evening, unleashing a couple of probing crosses and even having a shot, but the 37-year-old tired towards the end of the match. (7/10)

Brandur Hendriksen: The midfielder was one of the Faroe Islands best attacking players, both setting up chances and taking on a couple of shots himself, before being subbed off inside the final 10 minutes. (7/10)

Joan Edmundsson: It was an eventful night from the start for Edmundsson, who was booked less than six minutes after kickoff, before equalising for the hosts. He did not make it to the full-time whistle though, picking up a second booking early in the second half, ultimately costing his side a chance to hold on for the draw. (4/10)

Solvi Vatnhamar: One of the quieter players on the night, Vatnhamar was unspectacular, but was willing to get involved at both ends of the pitch, particularly helping out at the back following Edmundsson's dismissal. (5/10)

Attack

Gilli Sorensen: Sorensen was quiet in the first half, but came into the match after the break, making some pacy runs down the flank and getting into a couple of threatening positions on the edge of the box. (6/10)

Christian Holst: Holst really did not get the service he needed to really have an impact as the main striker, but he managed to get a couple of shots away, before being sacrificed after Edmundsson's sending off. (6/10)

Substitutes

Pol Johannes Justinussen: Replacing Holst shortly after the red card incident, Justinussen tried to strengthen at the back, but could not prevent Lafferty getting through for the third goal. (5/10)

Kaj Leo Bartalstovu: Coming on for a late cameo in place of Hendriksen, the midfielder had little time to make a contribution for the home side. (4/10)

Rogvi Baldvinsson: The defender replaced the tiring captain late on, making a couple of clearances as northern Ireland pushed for a fourth goal. (6/10)

Goal

Michael McGovern: McGovern looked solid from the start, coming off his line several times in the first half to claim the ball from crosses, while making a couple of decent saves to stop the home side adding a second. (7/10)

Defence

Conor McLaughlin: It was a relatively blemish free performance in defence for McLaughlin, but he lived a little dangerously, committing a foul right in front of the referee after already being booked just after Edmundsson had been sent off for the Faroes, forcing O'Neill's hand when the made the first substitution. (5/10)

Gareth McAuley: The West Brom man was excellent at the back and proved his value up front too, heading in from two set pieces to prove the difference between the two sides on the night. (9/10)

Jonny Evans: Evans is not match fit, but showed great pace down the right flank with Steven Davis in the first half, and was well disciplined in defence throughout. (7/10)

Chris Baird: Baird did give the ball away a few times, particularly when he came out into the middle, but he was relatively solid when asked to defend. (5/10)

Midfield

Steven Davis: The captain put in an excellent performance, providing numerous dangerous crosses into the box, as well as long balls forward, while also getting involved at the back when necessary. (8/10)

Stuart Dallas: Dallas was one of the liveliest players on the pitch in the first 30 minutes, before going missing for a spell in the second half. He came back into the match late on though, using his pace to ask all sorts of questions of the Faroes defenders. (7/10)

Chris Brunt: Despite needing a late fitness test to be cleared to play in this match, Brunt was excellent through, linking up with Dallas down the left, while regularly posing a threat from the edge of the box, although his finishing touch was not quite there tonight. (8/10)

Oliver Norwood: Norwood's deliveries from set pieces were instrumental for the visitors this evening, setting up the first goal while keeping the home side under pressure at the back with consistently threatening corner kicks. (8/10)

Attack

Niall McGinn: playing mainly on the wing rather than as an out-and-out striker, McGinn worked well with Lafferty in the first half, but was less involved after the break. (6/10)

Kyle Lafferty: Despite having not played a match for almost three months, Lafferty was involved from the start, and kept running at the Faroes defenders until finally finding the back of the net late on. It was a really determined performance from the team's top scorer in this qualifying campaign. (8/10)

Substitutes

Josh Magennis: The striker was thrown on to give the visitors a more attacking set up and prevent McLaughlin getting himself sent off, and he made a real impact, setting up Lafferty's goal before hitting the woodwork himself shortly after. (8/10)

Shane Ferguson: With Brunt one booking away from a suspension, Ferguson replaced the midfielder late on, but saw little action before the full-time whistle, although he did help the side keep possession while running down the remaining minutes. (5/10)

Paddy McNair: McNair only had a late cameo, but he had time to worry Nielsen with a curling, dipping effort from the edge of the box in stoppage time, which just missed the top corner. (7/10)

Written by
Sian Cowper