Women's Euro 2025: Wade winner sees Northern Ireland into play-off final

Lauren Wade's stunning strike deep into extra-time proved enough for Tanya Oxtoby's Northern Ireland to book a Euro 2025 Play-Off Final date with Norway.

It was far from their best performance and far from being a good game, but that will matter little to the home side who, on the balance of play, deserved their win over the two legs.

Wade played in an unfamiliar left-back role for most of the match, but it was when she moved further forward that she changed the game. Along with sub Chloe McCarron, who was superb in the middle of the park when she entered the fray.

Northern Ireland almost took the lead as early as the third minute.

Wade's corner from the right-hand side wasn't properly cleared by the Croatian defence and the ball fell to Casey Howe on the edge of the box. She made good contact with her shot, but her powerful effort flew just over the bar from 18 yards.

Six minutes later, Howe was again in the thick of the action in a lively start from the hosts, firing just wide after cutting in from the left flank.

They went even closer in the 10th minute, with only the woodwork preventing the opening goal. Simone Magill, captaining the side for the first time, found space in the box and volleyed past Croatian goalkeeper Doris Bacic, only to see her effort canon back off the crossbar.

But Northern Ireland were served warning of the threat the visitors posed less than 60 seconds later as Nenad Gracan’s side should have taken the lead.

Ivana Rudelic found herself one on one with Jackie Burns, but the home goalkeeper stood tall to saves the Croatian forward's tame enough effort with her legs.

After that bright beginning to the tie, Northern Ireland went out of it for a prolonged spell, though the visitors weren’t exactly piling on the pressure at the other end.

Though they did go close to the half hour mark when Tea Krznaric fired just over from 20 yards.

A tepid finish to the half led to both sides going in search of that key first goal after the restart – and it was the visitors who should have got in seven minutes in.

Again, Krznaric was involved as she was teed up by Rudelic, but her effort from 12 yards was smothered by Burns.

The home side’s first opportunity of the second period arose just three minutes later and it was all the work of Rebecca McKenna.

The full-back went on a mazy run into the box and her low shot from a tight angle was on target but was beaten out for a corner by Becic.

Then five minutes after the hour, Croatia went close again as Northern Ireland switched off on their own left-hand side. Howe was dispossessed by Izabela Lojna, who then beat Brenna McPartlan all too easily before powering her shot in on goal. But Burns was equal to the effort and tipped it over the bar.

Three minutes from the end of normal time, McPartlan's looping header from Danielle Maxwell's free-kick dropped just wide as Northern Ireland desperately tried to break the deadlock.

Despite being the better side in extra-time, Northern Ireland almost conceded right at the end of the opening period.

Petra Pezelj's deflected shot seemed to be going wide, but it hit Natalie Johnson, with the Northern Ireland sub eventually scrambling it clear.

But the goal they had craved eventually came six minutes from the end of extra-time.

Seconds after she had been denied from the edge of the box by an excellent save from Becic, Wade tried her luck again.

This time the Croatian keeper could do nothing to stop her superb 20-yard rocket that nestled in the roof of the net and sent the near-4,000 home crowd into ecstasy.

MATCH STATS

Northern Ireland: Burns, McKenna, Wade, Holloway, Rafferty, McPartlan, Schofield (McDaniel 58), Andrews (McCarron 84), Maxwell (Burrows 120), Magill (C) (Wilson 84), Howe (Johnson 96)

Subs not used: Norney (GK), Harvey-Clifford (GK), Bell, Sweetlove, Halliday, Mason, McLaren

Croatia: Bacic (C), Pezelj Dordic (115), Canjevac, Jelencic, Nevrkla, Krznaric (Lubina 106), Joscak, Galic (Vracevic 118), Markovic (Mikulica 87), Rudelic, Lojna

Subs not used: Filipovic (GK), Radolovic (GK), Zivkovic, Orkic, Spajic, Dulcic, Kunstek, Jedvaj

Referee: Tess Olofsson (Sweden)

Attendance: 3,935