Northern Ireland manager Tanya Oxtoby believes having Sarah McFadden back in her squad for their Women’s Nations League play-off against Iceland can have a major positive impact on an exciting group of young players.

The 38-year-old, who has amassed 106 international caps, hasn’t featured for Northern Ireland since February 2024 after overcoming an injury lay-off and giving birth to her second child.

With several key players unavailable, McFadden’s experience could prove invaluable to Oxtoby as she looks to mastermind Northern Ireland’s promotion to League A – the top level of European football.

The absence of defenders Laura Rafferty and Ellie Mason alongside Rachel Dugdale’s recent retirement has opened the door for McFadden’s return and Oxtoby has praised her work ethic.

placeholder image — Northern Ireland defender Sarah McFadden has returned to the senior squad. (Photo by William Cherry/Presseye)

"Her experience, she has over 100 caps for her country and knows what it means to play in these big games so it's great to have her back for her too and especially when we have a lot of youngsters she can share a lot of her experience," Oxtoby told BBC Sport NI. "She has done everything we have asked of her, and I think she has come back in even better shape than before so that speaks to the work she's done.

"From our point of view it's how we manage her, it's a big step up from club football to the international stage but to have her here, her experience will go a long way."

Oxtoby will also be without captain – and star striker – Simone Magill for the double-header, which gets underway at the Ballymena Showgrounds on Friday evening.

It has provided the Australian coach with a number of challenges in terms of squad selection, but rather than focus on the negatives, Oxtoby feels it provides opportunities for others.

"The depth chart has been tested right to the core for this window, but I think you can look at that one of two ways," she added. "You can wallow and get caught up in the players that aren't here, but for us, it's about the ones who are here and we've been bringing youth through and we're in a good position that some of the younger players are three and four camps in and have more experience.

"We are trying to build that depth, it will be a test against a really good side, but confident in the group that is going to go out tomorrow night.

"We know what we're going after from a strategy point of view, but who are going to fill those roles not yet."

Iceland sit 27 places higher in FIFA’s world rankings than Northern Ireland and qualified for Euro 2025, losing all three of their matches at the major tournament.

"We want to be in positions like this, we have earnt the right to be here and we want to test ourselves against really good side,” said Oxtoby. "That's the aim (to get a result), we want to start well, give ourselves an opportunity and something to build on.

"After tomorrow night, we will have a really good gauge of where we are at."