Nov 17,2024
Michael O'Neill is not taking anything for granted in the Nations League promotion battle and has warned his players they will face a tough final game against Luxembourg on Monday.
Northern Ireland are firmly in the driving seat to get out of League C Group 3 after Friday's 2-0 home win over Belarus left them two points clear of Bulgaria, and a draw at the Stade de Luxembourg will be enough to secure top spot.
Luxembourg sit bottom of the group, the only side without a win after five games, but O'Neill believes that is not a true reflection of their strength.
"We'll play a good team," he said. "Luxembourg have been unlucky in the group. Apparently they played well again (in Friday's 1-0 loss to Bulgaria). They have just had narrow defeats.
"I know the coach (Luc Holtz) well. He's been in place a long time, (for 14) years, so I think they have really developed as a country and as a team. I don't expect an easy game at all."
Winning the group would cap an excellent 12 months for Northern Ireland. After a difficult Euro 2024 qualifying campaign, they have not looked back since ending it with a 2-0 win over Denmark in Belfast last November.
"They (players have) had experiences over the last 12 months, we played the European champions (Spain) away from home and have seen the highest level, and then got good results in Scotland and Romania and had good results in this National League," O'Neill said.
"And I think that will prepare them for what comes ahead. What will come will be a higher level of opposition when we get into the World Cup qualifiers.
"We're playing in League C and in World Cup qualifying we'll have to play against teams from League A and League B and if we're going to have a chance we're going to have to finish in the top two so the bigger challenges lie ahead."
Northern Ireland had to be patient against a Belarus side who have made a stubborn defence their cornerstone in this campaign, but got their rewards after the break as Daniel Ballard headed them in front in the 50th minute before Dion Charles's penalty sealed it.
O'Neill's side have won all three of their home games in the campaign, scoring nine and conceding none.
The only bum note on another positive night was a late yellow card for Ciaron Brown, questionably penalised for time wasting, and he will miss Monday's game through suspension.
O'Neill, already missing the injured Paddy McNair, Eoin Toal and Jamal Lewis from his defence, was not impressed with the decision.
"It was a really poor booking," he said. "I tell George (Saville) to step off the free-kick, not to waste time but just to keep us more compact. Ciaron comes over to take the free-kick and the referee books him...
"The rationale of a booking like that I just don't understand. We hadn't tried to waste time the whole game. There was time-wasting in the first half from the opposition. I don't know why you would clamp down on time wasting at that minute."
One candidate to help fill in is Brighton Under-21s defender Ruairi McConville, who made his debut as a late substitute.
"He's a good, good young player," O'Neill said. "He's been very impressive this week. I felt at the time we needed a bit of height and obviously Ruairi brings that.
"The only way I felt we were ever going to lose a goal was a set-piece so it was good to get him on the pitch but it wasn't a case of just giving him the debut just for that. We needed it at that point in the game and he helped us see the game out."
