Nations League: Northern Ireland lose scrappy opener to Greece as dismal run continues

2 years ago 38

ARTICLE AD BOX

Northern Ireland's search for a first-ever Nations League win has now stretched to 11 matches after a deflating 1-0 home defeat by Greece.

Visiting captain Tasos Bakasetas scored the only goal of a somewhat scrappy game at Windsor Park late in the first half.

Substitute Kyle Lafferty fired just over the crossbar with a well-hit free-kick late on as the hosts came to life in the final 25 minutes after a flat first-half performance.

Ian Baraclough's men are now away to Cyprus on Sunday in their second League C Group 2 match before their busy schedule takes them to Kosovo on 9 June, then they complete their opening quadruple-header at home to Cyprus on 12 June.

Thursday night's result made it eight defeats and three draws in the Nations League for Northern Ireland, who are playing in the third tier of the competition for the first time after being relegated.

Baraclough is without a number of senior players for this camp and gave a competitive debut to Fleetwood Town's Paddy Lane, while Manchester City's 18-year-old Shea Charles, one of four new call-ups, came on as a late substitute for his senior international debut.

Greece's decisive goal arrived in the 39th minute when the Northern Ireland midfield failed to track the forward run of visiting captain Bakasetas.

When Dimitris Limnios played the ball inside from the right, Bakasetas had far too much time and space on the edge of the box as he controlled the ball well and planted a fine low strike wide of Bailey Peacock-Farrell and into the far corner.

The double substitution of Kyle Lafferty and Niall McGinn on the hour-mark injected much-needed life into a low-key showing from the home side, and both subs came close to grabbing an equaliser.

McGinn hit a snapshot from the edge of the area on 66 minutes but it was straight at Benfica keeper Odisseas Vlachodimos and a few minutes later captain Steven Davis - further extending his caps record with a 135th appearance - hit a right-foot curler over the crossbar.

It looked like the stage might be set when, with five minutes remaining, the returning Lafferty stood over a free-kick 20 yards out, and his shot was well hit but it went just over the crossbar.

More to follow.

Line-ups

Northern Ireland

Formation 5-3-2

1Peacock-Farrell
2BradleySubstituted forMcGinnat 62'minutes
17McNairBooked at 90mins
5Evans
4Ballard
3LaneSubstituted forHumeat 78'minutes
16McCann
8Davis
6SavilleSubstituted forCharlesat 79'minutes
9LaverySubstituted forLaffertyat 62'minutes
18WhyteBooked at 41minsSubstituted forCharlesat 71'minutes

Substitutes

7McGinn
10Lafferty
11Charles
12Southwood
13Hume
14McCalmont
15McMenamin
19Donnelly
20Charles
21McCann
22Brown
23Carson

Greece

Formation 4-2-3-1

1Vlachodimos
15RotaSubstituted forBaldockat 90+2'minutes
4Mavropanos
17Hatzidiakos
21Tsimikas
23SiopisSubstituted forTzavellasat 82'minutesBooked at 84mins
5Bouchalakis
18LimniosSubstituted forPavlidisat 69'minutes
11BakasetasSubstituted forKourbelisat 69'minutes
20MantalosBooked at 90mins
19GiakoumakisSubstituted forChatzigiovanisat 69'minutes

Substitutes

2Baldock
3Tzavellas
6Kourbelis
7Chatzigiovanis
8Alexandropoulos
9Douvikas
10Tzolis
12Paschalakis
13Athanasiadis
14Papanikolaou
16Pavlidis
22Giannoulis

Live Text

Match ends, Northern Ireland 0, Greece 1.
Second Half ends, Northern Ireland 0, Greece 1.
Patrick McNair (Northern Ireland) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Konstantinos Tsimikas (Greece) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Patrick McNair (Northern Ireland).
Petros Mantalos (Greece) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Kyle Lafferty (Northern Ireland).
Petros Mantalos (Greece) is shown the yellow card.
Corner, Greece. Conceded by Trai Hume.
Substitution, Greece. George Baldock replaces Lazaros Rota.
Vangelis Pavlidis (Greece) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Danny Ballard (Northern Ireland).
Attempt missed. Kyle Lafferty (Northern Ireland) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high from a direct free kick.
Georgios Tzavellas (Greece) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Georgios Tzavellas (Greece).
Dion Charles (Northern Ireland) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Hand ball by Petros Mantalos (Greece).
Substitution, Greece. Georgios Tzavellas replaces Emmanouil Siopis.
Attempt blocked. Danny Ballard (Northern Ireland) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Patrick McNair with a cross.
Corner, Northern Ireland. Conceded by Dimitrios Kourbelis.