Northern Ireland suffer Euro play-off hangover

With 600 fans in attendance at the National Stadium many were hoping for another rousing display from Ian Baraclough’s men following their heroics in Sarajevo, but in truth they were lucky to be only one down at the break as they failed to cope with the visitors’ high energy game.

Things improved after the break,but Northern Ireland failed to carve out enough chances to trouble Austria in the end.

It was the visitors who carved out the first opportunity of the game as Bayern Munich’s David Alaba picked out Michael Gregoritsch in the box with a sliderule pass, but it just evaded the forward and Michael McGovern gathered. The keeper had to be alert again on 10 minutes as Stefan Ilsanker got on the end of a corner, but it was straight at the keeper.

Austria were definitely looking the more likely to break the deadlock and they went close again on 24 minutes as Alaba whipped another great ball into the box but Martin Hinteregger couldn’t get enough purchase on the ball and McGovern saved comfortably.

The hosts had a big let off on the half hour as Craig Cathcart was pressed into a mistake, his weak back pass was latched upon by Christoph Baumgartner, but he curled his shot wide of the target with only the keeper to beat.

The 1899 Hoffenheim midfielder spurned another glorious chance five minutes later as Gregoritsch picked him out in front of goal with a knockdown, but Baumgartner blazed over.

The pressure finally told on 41 minutes as another slick Austrian move saw Hinteregger whip a great ball into the box for Gregoritsch to plant a header past McGovern.

Ian Baraclough’s men started the second half in a more positive fashion playing higher up the pitch and asking a few more questions of the Austrians.

They finally registered an effort on goal even if it was from an unlikely source as Paddy McNair’s ball into the box was flicked goalwards by Jonny Evans, but his header was straight at Pavao Pervan in the visitors’ goal.

Baraclough threw on Liam Boyce and Conor Washongton, who both came off the bench late on Thursday night to score in the penalty shoot-out, in a bid to get something out of the game.

And it almost paid off as the game moved into additional time as Jordan Thompson slipped in Boyce from a set piece, but the striker’s shot somehow whistled inches past the far post.