Nations League promotion another step forward for NI

Since the birth of the Nations League in 2018, Northern Ireland have rarely hidden from the idea that this has been far from their favourite competition.

Prior to this campaign, they had enjoyed just one win from their first 16 games with that sole victory coming via a late comeback against Kosovo in September 2022.

But while manager Michael O’Neill has often seemed somewhat dismissive of the importance of Nations League results there is no doubting the steps forward his side have taken in the past two months, even if they would have finished up feeling considerably better about themselves had they not surrendered a 2-0 advantage to draw 2-2 in Luxembourg on Monday night.

As much as the draw lead left a sour taste in the immediate aftermath, needing only a point to secure top spot in Group C3, the result and subsequent promotion still represented a case of job done.

Even given the standard of opposition in the third tier, Northern Ireland’s record of played six, won three, drawn two and lost one represents an improvement in terms of previous results, while there were plenty of other positive signs across the short campaign too.

Having ended an otherwise disappointing Euro 2024 qualifying campaign on a high note when beating Denmark at Windsor Park 12 months ago, Michael O’Neill’s side carried that momentum into this year.

An away win in Scotland followed by a credible draw in Romania showed signs of the solidity that was such a cornerstone of the former Stoke City manager’s first spell in charge of his country.

A 5-1 hammering at the hands in Spain looked less of a concern when their swashbuckling opponents went on to win the Euros, while a 2-0 win over Andorra provided another example of Conor Bradley’s star quality.

Friendly performances will always come with something of an asterisk however, and while the Nations League will never carry the same importance as qualifiers, O’Neill will have been keen to see his promising squad deliver in competitive action.

When the immediate frustration of turning what should have been a win into a draw on Monday night subsided, he was able to reflect on a campaign that represents a step forward for a side that are simultaneously showing progress while still having plenty of room to grow.

“To be able to top the group and be able to do that is testament to the players really, testament to their application,” he said.

“I’m delighted with the group that we have. They have to continue to work and push, but this will still be a young group in two or three years time and the exciting thing is we’re looking like a good team at this moment in time.”

Beyond promotion, O’Neill can point to plenty of other plusses through the campaign.

Among three home wins, the demolition of Bulgaria provided a surge of confidence for the side and represented the first time they had found the net five times in the same game since 1995.

When set-piece strikes from defenders Dan Ballard and Paddy McNair had provided the only efforts across the three games to start the campaign, fears over a lack of natural goalscorers had again emerged.

But in the end, with Isaac Price leading the way with four, six different players were on target across the six games and it would have been seven had Brodie Spencer’s long-range effort against Bulgaria not been credited as an own goal.

At the other end, Northern Ireland went 393 minutes without conceding in the middle of their campaign, a streak ended only by Luxembourg’s opener in the 73rd minute on Monday night.

While a stinginess in defence is a hallmark of any O’Neill outfit, this was all while blooding a new goalkeeper with 19-year-old Pierce Charles winning his first four caps.

With three new captains – Trai Hume, Conor Bradley and Shea Charles all wearing the armband after Jonny Evans stepped away from international football in August – throughout there has been a feeling of a side evolving all while still managing to achieve results too.

‘I think the team are ready for that’

In stark contrast to the past two months when O’Neill has had his players for three camps and six games, it will be a full four months before the side are back together again.

For Northern Ireland fans, the next date to circle on the calendar is 13 December when the 2026 World Cup qualifying draw takes place in Zurich.

O’Neill, for one, is already looking forward to pitting his young charges against a better quality of opposition.

“The World Cup will present a different challenge and we will have to play teams of a higher calibre.

“We will take a lot of confidence from the Nations League, we have achieved what we set out to do, to get promoted.

“We know the World Cup will provide us with a stiffer challenge but I think the team are ready for that.”