UEFA Nations League 2018-19

The draw for the inaugural UEFA Nations League took place on 24th January 2018 in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Northern Ireland were seeded in pot 3 of League B. The draw placed them in Group Three alongside Bosnia & Herzegovina and Austria.

This will be the first time that Northern Ireland have faced Bosnia & Herzegovina in a senior men's international.

Matches:
08/09/18 BIH H
12/10/18 AUT A
15/10/18 BIH A
18/11/18 AUT H

Successful teams have an additional opportunity to qualify for Euro 2020.

Links:
UEFA
BBC

629: 12 November 2017

628 vs Switzerland - 629 - 630 vs South Korea

2018 World Cup Qualification Play-Off - Second Leg

SWITZERLAND

(SUI)

0-0 (0-0)

(NIR)

NORTHERN IRELAND

* Switzerland qualify for the 2018 World Cup 1-0 on aggregate *

Venue: Basel

Squad:
BBC
Goalkeepers: Roy Carroll (Linfield), Michael McGovern (Norwich), Alan Mannus (St. Johnstone)
Defenders: Aaron Hughes (Hearts), Gareth McAuley (West Brom), Jonny Evans (West Brom), Chris Brunt (West Brom), Conor McLaughlin (Millwall), Lee Hodson (Rangers), Paddy McNair (Sunderland), Daniel Lafferty (Sheffield United), Rory McArdle (Scunthorpe), Tom Flanagan (Burton)
Midfielders: Steven Davis (Southampton), Niall McGinn (Gwangju), Oliver Norwood (Fulham), Corry Evans* (Blackburn), Shane Ferguson (Millwall), Stuart Dallas (Leeds), Paul Paton (St. Johnstone), Matthew Lund (Burton), Jordan Jones (Kilmarnock), George Saville (Millwall)
Forwards: Kyle Lafferty (Hearts), Josh Magennis (Charlton), Conor Washington (QPR), Jamie Ward (Nottingham Forest)
* suspended

627: 8th October 2017

626 vs Germany - 627 - 628 vs Switzerland

2018 FIFA World Cup - European Qualifying Group C

NORWAY (NOR) 1-0 NORTHERN IRELAND (NIR) (H/T 0-0)

Venue: Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo
Attendance:

Referee: Serhiy Boiko (UKR)

Assistant referees: Volodymyr Volodin (UKR), Oleg Pluzhnyk (UKR)

Fourth official: Anatoliy Abdula (UKR)
Goals: NOR Brunt 71 (og)

NORTHERN IRELAND: (white shirts, green shorts, white socks)

Manager: Michael O'Neill (Game 51)

Captain: Steven Davis

4-4-3 Michael McGovern; Conor McLaughlin, Chris Brunt _, Gareth McAuley, Jonny Evans; Corry Evans [Shane Ferguson 79], Ollie Norwood [George Saville 46]; Josh Magennis, Conor Washington [Kyle Lafferty], Stuart Dallas

NORWAY: (red shirts, white shorts, navy socks)

Manager: Lars Lagerback

Captain: Stefan Johansen

4-4-2 O. Nyland; B. Meling, T. Reginiussen, H. Nordtveit, S. Johansen, A. Soderlund, M. Elyounoussi, S. Berge, J. Svensson, M. Henriksen, A. Sorloth

Match Ticket:

Notes:

• Other results prior to kick-off guaranteed Northern Ireland a place in the second qualifying round play-offs.
• Oliver Norwood wins his 50th cap.

626: 5 October 2017

625 vs Czech Republic - 626 - 627 vs Norway

2018 FIFA World Cup - European Qualifying Group C

NORTHERN IRELAND (NIR) 1-3 GERMANY (GER) (H/T 0-2)

Venue: Windsor Park, Belfast
Attendance: 18,104
Referee: Danny Makkelie (NED)
Assistant referees: Mario Diks (NED), Hessel Steegstra (NED)
Fourth official: Bernie Blom (NED)
Referee assessor: Vitor Melo Pereira (POR)
Commissioner: Philippe Prudhon (FRA)
Goalscorers: NIR Magennis 90+3; GER Rudy 2, Wagner 21, Kimmich 86

NORTHERN IRELAND: (green/blue shirts, white shorts, green socks)
Manager: Michael O'Neill (Game: 50. Won 18, Drawn 14, Lost 18)
Captain: Steven Davis
McGovern; McLaughlin, Brunt, McAuley, J. Evans, L. Hodson [Dallas]; Norwood, Davis, C. Evans [Saville]; Magennis, Lafferty [Washington]

GERMANY: (white shirts, black shorts, white socks)
Manager: Joachim Low
Captain:

Match Photos:

Kyle Lafferty, Gareth McAuley, Michael McGovern, Josh Magennis, Jonny Evans, Chris Brunt
Lee Hodson, Ollie Norwood, Steven Davis, Corry Evans, Conor McLaughlin

Match Programme/Ticket/Teamsheet:

Match Reports:
BBC

Northern Ireland Squad:

BBC

Irish FA

Aaron Hughes withdrew and was replaced by Callum Morris (Dunfermline)

German Squad:

goalkeeper

Bernd Leno Bayer 04 Leverkusen

Marc-André ter Stegen FC Barcelona

Kevin Trapp Paris Saint-Germain

defense

Jérôme Boateng Bayern Munich

Matthias Ginter Borussia Monchengladbach

Mats Hummels Bayern Munich

Joshua Kimmich Bayern Munich

Shkodran Mustafi FC Arsenal

Marvin Plattenhardt Hertha BSC

Antonio Rüdiger Chelsea FC

Niklas Süle Bayern Munich

Midfield / striker

Julian Brandt Bayer 04 Leverkusen

Emre Can Liverpool FC

Julian Draxler Paris Saint-Germain

Leon Goretzka FC Schalke

Toni Kroos real Madrid

Thomas Müller Bayern Munich

Sebastian Rudy Bayern Munich

Leroy Sané Manchester City

Lars Stindl Borussia Monchengladbach

Sandro Wagner  1899 Hoffenheim

Timo Werner RB Leipzig

Amin Younes Ajax Amsterdam

Notes: 

• Michael O'Neill's fiftieth match as manager.
• Northern Ireland's first competitive home defeat in over four years.
• Michael McGovern reached 608 minutes without conceding an international goal, a record only bettered by Pat Jennings (1985-86).

Credits:

Photos courtesy of Roy Cathcart

625: 4 September 2017

624 vs San Marino - 625 - 626 vs Germany

2018 FIFA World Cup - European Qualifying Group C

4th September 2017. KO: 19:45 BST

NORTHERN IRELAND (NIR) 2-0 CZECH REPUBLIC (CZE) (H/T 2-0)

Venue: National Stadium at Windsor Park, Belfast
Attendance: 18,167
Scorers: NIR: J. Evans, C. Brunt

NORTHERN IRELAND (green shirts, white shorts, green socks)
Manager: Michael O'Neill
Captain: Steven Davis
4-5-1 - Michael McGovern; Conor McLaughlin, Chris Brunt, Aaron Hughes, Jonny Evans; Oliver Norwood, Corry Evans, Steven Davis, Stuart Dallas, Josh Maginnis; Conor Washington

CZECH REPUBLIC (all red)

Match Photos:

Match Programme/Teamsheet/Tickets:

Sources:

Photos/scans courtesy of Roy Cathcart

624: 1 September 2017

623 vs Azerbaijan - 624 - 625 vs Czech Republic

2018 FIFA World Cup - European Qualifying Group C

1st September 2017. KO 20:45 local / 19:45 BST
 SAN MARINO (SMR) 0-3 NORTHERN IRELAND (NIR) (H/T 0-0)

Venue: Stadio Olimpico (aka San Marino Stadium), Serravalle
Referee: Enea Jorgi (ALB)
Assistant referees: Ridiger Cokaj, Rejdi Avdo
Fourth official: Genc Nuza
Goals: Magennis 70, 75, Davis 79 (pen)

NORTHERN IRELAND: (white shirts, green shorts, white socks)
Manager: Michael O'Neill
Captain: Steven Davis
4-4-2 - Michael McGovern; Conor McLaughlin, Chris Brunt, Aaron Hughes, Jonny Evans, Ollie Norwood, Steven Davis [Niall McGinn 77], Stuart Dallas, Josh Magennis, Kyle Lafferty [Shane Ferguson 61], Conor Washington [Corry Evans 77]
Unused subs: Alan Mannus (gk), Roy Carroll (gk); Tom Flanagan, Lee Hodson, Paul Paton, Ryan McLaughlin, Shay McCartan, Daniel Lafferty, Adam Thompson

SAN MARINO: (all blue)
Coach: Pier-Angelo Manzaroli
Captain: Davide Simoncini
5-4-1 - A. Simoncini; Biordi [Vitaioli 67], D. Simoncini [Gasperoni 76], Palazzi, Bonini, Grandoni, Battistini, Cervellini, Rinaldi, Berardi, Berardi [Golinucci 81]
Unused subs: Muraccini, Manzaroli, Cesarini, D'Addario, Cevoli, Berretti, Tosi, Stefanelli, Tomassini

Match Programme/Ticket:

Match Reports:
FIFA
UEFA
BBC
Daily Mail

Notes: 

• Northern Ireland win four successive competitive matches as well as keep four successive competitive clean sheets for the first time.

623: 10 June 2017

622 vs New Zealand - 623 - 624 vs ---

2018 FIFA World Cup - European Qualifying Group C

10th June 2017. 18:00 CET

AZERBAIJAN (AZE) 0-1 NORTHERN IRELAND (NIR) (H/T 0-0)

Venue:	Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium, Baku
Attendance:	-
Referee:	Javier Estrada Fernández (SPA)
Assistant Referees:	Miguel Martinez (SPA) Teodoro Sobrino (SPA)
Fourth Official:	Alejandro Hernandez (SPA)
UEFA Delegate:	Jean Paul Mievis (BEL)
Goalscorers:	NIR S. Dallas 90+2

NORTHERN IRELAND
Manager: Michael O'Neill
Captain: Steven Davis
(3-5-2) M. McGovern; C. McLaughlin, G. McAuley [N. McGinn 25] [L. Hodson 86], J. Evans, A. Hughes, C. Brunt, O. Norwood, S. Davis _, S. Dallas, L. Boyce [K. Lafferty 77], J. Magennis _
Unusubs: A. Mannus (gk), R. Carroll (gk); S. Ferguson, T. Flanagan, D. Lafferty, P. Paton, M. Lund, S. McCartan, A. Thompson.

AZERBAIJAN
Manager: Robert Prosinečki (CRO)
Captain: Rashad F. Sadiqov
(4-3-3) Aghayev; Medvedev _, Huseynov, Sadiqov, Pashaev, Huseynov _, Garayev _, Almeida de Oliveira, Ismayilov, Sheydaev, Nazarov

Programme/Teamsheet/Ticket:

Match Reports:
BBC
UEFA

Squad as announced for previous New Zealand match.

May 2017 Training Camp

Michael O'Neill announced a week long training camp ahead of the senior international fixtures against New Zealand and Azerbaijan on 2nd and 10th June 2017.

The camp, beginning on the 22nd May in Manchester, will include 18 players who will not otherwise be involved in club fixtures. The panel includes several players who have not previously been involved in the senior squad.

Goalkeepers: Michael McGovern (Norwich), Roy Carroll (Linfield), Conor Mitchell (Burnley), Conor Hazard (Celtic).

Defenders: Ryan McLaughlin (Odlham), Tom Flanagan (Burton), Daniel Lafferty (Sheffield United), Luke McCullough (Doncaster), Conor McLaughlin (Fleetwood), Adam Thompson (Southend).

Midfielders: Oliver Norwood (Brighton), Stuart Dallas (Leeds), Matthew Lund (Rochdale), Callum Camps (Rochdale).

Forwards: Kyle Lafferty (Norwich), Josh Magennis (Charlton), Jamie Ward (Nottingham Forest), Shay McCartan (Accrington).