Positive lessons learned even in defeat for Michael O'Neill

Macdara Ferris reports from Windsor Park

While Northern Ireland began their UEFA Nations League campaign with a 2-1 home defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Michael O’Neill was perfectly entitled to take the positives from his team’s performance at Windsor Park on Saturday afternoon.

“To play with thatintensity and have that dominance, close to 70% possession in the game with 25 attempts on goal and 18 corners, it tells the story of the game,” said O’Neill speaking after the match to the media.

“I said to the players that we’ve played a lot worse and won. To have a level of domination we had in the game, the level of possession, it’s a sore one. It’s a good lesson as well because I think it shows the nature of international football, you do get punished.

“I’m disappointed with the result but other than that in terms of how we played, the nature of how we played, the positivity of the team and how we pressed, it was exactly what we were was looking for.”

The results and performances across the UEFA Nations League this weekend have shown that these matches are more than mere friendlies – even if the results aren’t as important as a European Championship or World Cup qualification game.

“It isn’t a major setback,” said O’Neill about the defeat. “If this was a Euro 2020 qualifier, it would be a different situation because you would have lost a game at home and your home points are vital. 

“We need to use these games to do as well in this competition but also in terms of our preparation and development of the team for when the European qualifiers come around.”

Having dominated the opening of the game, Michael O’Neill’s men conceded two fairly soft goals but with Will Grigg’s late goal they came within a whisker of taking a point.

extratime.ie asked O’Neill just how important the players attitude was in keeping going right to the final whistle?

“It was very encouraging. It is frustrating when you are in a game like that where things aren’t going to go your way but the spirit in the group is really good. They always come and work hard. 

“I said to them in the past, Northern Ireland teams may have gone under in that situation, but not this group of players. I think today we saw a lot of really good football and good possession and movement. We are more than capable of holding our own at this level.” 

Reflecting on the goals they allowed, O’Neill conceded that both were poor goals to allow but the former Shamrock Rovers manager defended his goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell who he had handed a competitive debut to.

The first Bosnian goal came from a poor goalkeeper clearance eight minutes from half time with the visitors returning the ball through Miralem Pjanic to Edin Dzeko before Haris Duljevic swept the ball home.

The second came in the 64^thminute when a Craig Cathcart header created confusion with the ‘keeper, allowing Elvis Saric to knick the ball by Peacock-Farrell and into an empty net.

“We felt we were well on top and shouldn’t have conceded the first goal. It was a poor goal for us to concede and we should have been ahead by then anyway. 

“The second goal and the nature of it was a little bit of a hammer blow,” O’Neill said. “It was a bad mistake, a poor goal for us to lose. Typically we don’t lose goals of that nature and Craig knows the decision to head it where he headed it was not the right place. 

“Young Bailey was exposed, he had to come and try and do something but to be fair they reacted well again, and we probably should have got a 2-2 draw out of the game at the very worst.”

Will Grigg came on to score his second international goal sweeping home a volley off a Liam Boyce centre three minutes into stoppage time and they still had a couple more chances to equalise.

“They showed their capability to go right to the whistle and they should be commended for that. It doesn’t take away the disappointment of the result but there are a lot of positives that we take into the game on Tuesday night (against Israel).

extratime.ie will be at the National Stadium at Windsor Park on Tuesday evening in the pressbox and pitchside bringing you all the pre-match buildup, match updates and post-match reaction with our reporters and photographers as Northern Ireland play Israel in a friendly.

That was a tough result to take after such a dominant performance today. On a personal level, I’m so proud to have made my competitive debut for @northernireland#GAWApic.twitter.com/Ea7473nQCG

— B Peacock-Farrell (@bailey_pf) September 8, 2018