- Macdara Ferris
- Sat, Oct 14 2023
Macdara Ferris reports from the National Football Stadium in Windsor Park
The talk is that there are no easy games in international football these days but that isn’t really the case when your opposition are San Marino.
They are a team who have never won a senior men’s international and came to Belfast on the back of a 20 competitive match losing streak.
Safe to say they left with a 21st consecutive defeat after conceding goals from Paul Smyth, Josh Magennis and Conor McMenamin.
At half-time they were 2-0 down and were lucky it wasn’t double that as Northern Ireland twice had the ball in the back of the net, only for both to be ruled out – one by VAR and another by a correct offside flag from the assistant referee.
Michael O’Neill’s men have struggled in their 2024 European Championship qualifying group so far. They won their opening game – a 2-0 away victory against San Marino – but lost the last five in a row prior to this lunchtime kick-off.
So playing an opponent who haven’t scored a competitive goal in over two years (that was in a 7-1 home defeat to Poland) was good tonic for O’Neill’s side at the start of a double header of EURO 2024 qualifiers.
Next Tuesday stiffer opposition will be provided by Slovenia on their visit to Belfast.
It took the home team just five minutes to score. As they did throughout the game, they looked to move the ball quickly through the lines to find space around the back five of the San Marino side.
Jordan Thompson well time pass allowed Jamal Lewis get to the end line and clip the ball into the box for the onrushing Smyth to volley home with venom.
The QPR player supplied the assist for the second six minutes later. Smyth drilled a low cross that Magennis turned home giving Elia Benedettini in the San Marino goal no chance.
Ahead of kick-off Johnny Evans received a commemorative 100th cap from Pat Jennings in honour of achieving that landmark. The skipper’s pass from the centre circle was finished beautifully by Smyth in the 31st minute.
However, after a lengthy VAR review it was ruled out which was a shame for Smyth whose cushioned volley over the keeper was a delight.
It was Dale Taylor who next had the ball in the back of the net but the offside flag had gone straight up after he touched the ball home so Northern Ireland left the pitch at the break with just the two goal lead.
San Marino won themselves a corner in the 57th minute and when the ball fell to Lorenzo Lazzari outside the box he may have felt his name was going to go up in lights but his shot went went up, up and up into the east stand.
Michael O’Neill made a triple change after the hour mark and Conor Washington’s first involvement was to go in the book for a tackle on Lazzari.
The Belgian ref was then called across by the VAR official to decide if the yellow should be upgraded to red but there was relief all around Windsor Park when Bram Van Driessche didn’t change his mind.
Benedettini pulled off a brilliant double save to deny Callum Marshall, pushing away his shot and then reacting to save the follow up diving header.
The win was wrapped up nine minutes from time though, not that it was ever really in doubt, when Conor McMenamin turned the ball home after Washington’s shot was saved.
The final whistle denoted Northern Ireland’s sixth victory over San Marino who will have to wait that bit longer to score a goal against the green and white army.
Against such facile opposition it is hard to rate whether this is a postivie turning point for Michael O'Neill's men. If they can back it up with another home win on Tuesday that may well be the view.
Northern Ireland: Conor Hazard; Trai Hume, Daniel Ballard, Jonathan Evans © ((Isaac Price 63), Jamal Lewis (Brodie Spencer 79); Patrick McNair, Shea Charles, Jordan Thompson; Paul Smyth (Callum Marshall 63), Josh Magennis (Conor Washington 63), Dale Taylor (Conor McMenamin 79).
Subs not used: Bailey Peacock-Farrell, Luke Southwood, Dion Charles, George Saville, Bradley Lyons, Patrick Lane, Matty Kennedy.
Booked: Jamal Lewis (43), Conor Washington (64).
San Marino: Elia Benedettini; Manuel Battistini, Filippo Fabbri, Roberto Di Maio, Dante Carlos Rossi, Simone Franciosi(Alessandro D'Addario 46); Alessandro Golinucci, Lorenzo Capicchioni (Luca Ceccaroli 76), Lorenzo Lazzari (Lorenzo Lunadei 88); Nicola Nanni, Matteo Vitaioli (Marcello Mularoni 60).
Subs not used: Aldo Simoncini, Simone Benedettini, Andrea Magi, Michele Cevoli, Tommaso Zafferani, Enrico Golinucci, Fabio Tomassini, Samuel Pancotti.
Booked: None.
Referee: Bram Van Driessche (Belgium).
Attendance: 17,866
extratime.com Player of the Match: Paul Smyth (Northern Ireland)
