Euro 2025: Northern Ireland fall to narrow defeat

A better performance, but the same outcome for Northern Ireland as they fell to their second defeat in succession to Portugal in the space of a few days.

However, the performance at Mourneview Park will have given Tanya Oxtoby encouragement, particularly their bright start when they went in front with less than five minutes on the clock.

Unfortunately, it was a mistake at the back that led to the deciding goal and, especially against much higher ranked opposition such as Portugal, Northern Ireland were punished once again.

The result means Northern Ireland drop to third in the four-team group in League B, two points behind Bosnia and Herzegovina, with both them at home and Malta away still to play.

Oxtoby made three changes to the starting line-up from the one that lost 4-0 away to the same opposition in Leiria on Friday night.

Brenna McPartlan came into midfield in place of Chloe McCarron, while Caragh Hamilton started at wing-back with Demi Vance dropping to the bench. Joely Andrews started ahead of Nadene Caldwell in the middle of the park.

Northern Ireland took the lead with less than five minutes on the clock as Lauren Wade finished off a fine passing move to open the scoring.

It all started midway inside the Northern Ireland half, with Laura Rafferty firing the ball into the feet of Simone Magill. She laid it wide to Keri Halliday before the Linfield youngster found Magill with the return pass as she scampered into space down the right flank.

The Aston Villa striker then slid the ball low across the six-yard box where Reading striker Wade was on hand to sidefoot it home from point-blank range.

However, it didn’t take long for the visitors to equalise as they piled on the pressure soon after going behind.

Francisca Nazareth levelled matters on 18 minutes when she climbed highest in the penalty area to glance home a Lucia Alves cross from left to make it 1-1.

And after Jackie Burns had tipped over a Nazareth shot from the edge of the box 10 minutes later, the Portuguese went in front for the first time on the half hour.

This time it was a goal all of Northern Ireland’s own making – and not in a positive sense.

As they tried to play out from the back, Burns’ ball to Joely Andrews a few yards outside her own box put the Glentoran midfielder under pressure. However, she was still far too easily dispossessed and that allowed Andrea Norton to get a shot in that took a deflection to loop over Burns and into the back of the net.

Oxtoby made an attacking change at the break, with Athlone Town winger Casey Howe coming on for central midfielder McPartlan.

Portugal almost got a third four minutes after the hour mark, when substitute Jessica Silva outmuscled Laura Rafferty to power into the box, but her close-range shot was beaten out by Burns.

However, it was a tepid second period without the chances or the pace of the first half and Northern Ireland were unable to carve out any clear-cut opportunities to grab a draw from the match as they fell to their second defeat in four days against the same opposition.

MATCH STATS

Northern Ireland: Burns (C), McKenna, Rafferty, Holloway, Dugdale, McPartlan (Howe H-T), Andrews, Hamilton (Caldwell 88), Halliday (McDaniel 88), Magill, Wade (Wilson 73)

Subs not used: Perry (GK), Harvey-Clifford (GK), Vance, McCarron, Callaghan, Maxwell, Burrows, Beattie

Portugal: Pereira, Borges (C), Costa, Gomes, Amado, Alves (Marchao 75), Jacinto, Norton, Nazareth (Dolores Silva 75), Diana Silva (J Silva 59), Encarnacao (Dias 90)

Subs not used: Morais (GK), Cota-Yarde (GK), Seica, Rodrigues, Ribeiro, Martins, Faria, Mendes

Referee: Franziska Wildfeuer (Germany)