Northern Ireland will host Slovenia in Group H of Euro 2024 qualifying. The Green and White Army broke a painful losing run in a three-goal success over San Marino. Their in-form visitors put Finland to the sword with consummate ease.
Preview (Northern Ireland vs. Slovenia)
In the first five minutes of Saturday’s match against San Marino, Northern Ireland attacker Paul Smyth channeled his inner Paolo Di Canio and Simone Biles, scoring with a beautiful scissor-kick volley and then performing the acrobatic celebration. Josh Magennis extended the hosts’ lead in the 11th minute. The bottom-ranked country appeared to be in for another humiliating afternoon. However, the offside flag saved their visitors’ faces as Michael O’Neill’s team continued to press.
Conor McMenamin scored his first goal for Northern Ireland’s senior team in the 81st minute. They sealed a much-needed victory for the Green and White Army. They had suffered five straight defeats before that Belfast victory. However, Northern Ireland would eventually find their way through again. The only team to lose to Northern Ireland’s dominance in Group H was perennial cellar dwellers San Marino. O’Neill’s fifth-placed side is no longer in contention for a top-two finish as a result of Slovenia and Denmark’s victories. The pair sit 10 points ahead of the Green and White Army with three games left.
Northern Ireland is currently attempting to win back-to-back games in any competition for the first time since September 2021. They may find relief in the playoffs, but given their opponents’ recent performances. After receiving a knock to the head against Finland, Benjamin Sesko may have put on a protective cap. It was the Scandinavian team that was ultimately left battered and broken by the RB Leipzig player.
No pun intended. Sesko scored the game’s first goal from the penalty spot before adding to it with a sweeping counterattack. With time running down in extra time, Erik Janza secured the victory for the Group H leaders. Jan Oblak of Atletico Madrid had a quiet evening at the opposite end of the field as Matjaz Kek’s squad shared the lead with Denmark with 16 points after seven games thanks to a little better goal differential as the race for first place intensifies.
Team News
Paddy McNair unnecessarily received his third caution of the qualifying process after Northern Ireland’s victory over San Marino. It means the 28-year-old will miss the Slovenians’ visit due to suspension. As the Boro player was instead used in the midfield trident at Windsor Park, McNair’s dismissal will have no impact on the Jonny Evans-Dan Ballard central pairing for Northern Ireland, therefore either George Saville or Isaac Price might now be recalled. Ali McCann of Preston North End withdrew from the team prior to Saturday’s triumph due to an injury. O’Neill has no new worries to address and should reintroduce first-choice goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell over Conor Hazard.
Kek should have an identical set of options for the trip to Belfast, but Bordeaux’s Zan Vipotnik is on standby in case Sesko does not get the go-ahead to accompany 10-goal Andraz Sporar in attack. Jasmin Kurtic, a midfielder for Slovenia who is 34 years old, came on as a substitute on Saturday and earned his 86th Slovenian cap. He is 16 appearances away from breaking his country’s appearance record, but he might have to settle for another cameo on Tuesday.
When Slovenia and Northern Ireland squared off a few weeks ago, defenses did not triumph, and the same story should play out in Belfast, where the visitors have far more at stake than the Green and White Army. Sesko’s health concerns may make it harder for Slovenia to beat Northern Ireland twice in a row, but the visitors have scored goals in a variety of ways during qualification and must battle even harder to stay in the top two spots.
Northern Ireland 1 – 2 Slovenia
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