Nations League: Northern Ireland close in on group win

Northern Ireland have all but secured top spot in their Nations League after their third win in five games as they saw off a dogged Belarus at Windsor Park.

If it wasn't quite the free-flowing football of the previous victory in Belfast, it did show that Michael O'Neill's young side can find different ways to win - especially against a side who came to frustrate them from the outset.

They got the job done, based on an organised defence that has conceded just one goal in the competition this year and a team that work hard for each other throughout and who didn't become impatient when the breakthrough took its time in coming.

Second half strikes from Dan Ballard and Dion Charles - the latter from the penalty spot, proved more than enough for another deserved win in front of a sold-out - and expectant - home crowd.

O’Neill made three changes to his side from the starting line-up that so convincingly swept aside the challenge of Bulgaria 5-0 the last time out – two of those enforced at the back.

With defensive duo Paddy McNair and Eoin Toal both injured, Ballard returned alongside Ciaron Brown in the back three. Paul Smyth came in for Callum Marshall at the other end of the pitch.

While the formation of both sides mirrored one another – three centre-backs and two wing-backs – Northern Ireland were visibly more expansive, with Conor Bradley and Brodie Spencer pushing up at every opportunity.

The away side by contrast, opted for almost a flat back five, perhaps wary of how Northern Ireland cut through their defence in the first half of the scoreless draw behind closed doors in Hungary earlier in the group. That night, a combination of profligate finishing and excellent goalkeeping prevented the men in green from finding the net.

While it took Northern Ireland until the second half to score this time, it was no more than they deserved as they were the only side trying to win the game.

After almost a quarter of an hour of probing without really getting anywhere against a tightly-packed Belarus defence, Northern Ireland went close to going in front on 13 minutes.

Ironically, despite all their possession in those opening exchanges, the opportunity arose from a loose clearance by the visitors.

It was collected on the right side of the box by Shea Charles and the captain – who could have shot himself – instead teed up namesake Dion Charles. The Bolton striker’s instinctive effort from 10 yards superbly tipped over by Belarus keeper Fedor Lapoukhov.

On 25 minutes, Shea Charles whistled a 25-yard free-kick just past the post, with most of those in the Kop at the other end thinking the ball had gone in.

Then, two minutes later, Conor Bradley did brilliantly down the right before firing the ball across the six-yard box. It was too hard for Dion Charles and Isaac Price, while Spencer, sliding in at the back post, just couldn't get enough on it to direct the ball goalwards.

It was frustrating first half as Northern Ireland didn’t move the ball quickly enough against a side happy to sit back and defend.

However, they almost made the breakthrough just 15 seconds after the restart, but Dion Charles could only head over the crossbar following Spencer’s cross.

The away side then had an opportunity of their own on 48 minutes when captain Aleksandr Martynovich dispossessed his counterpart Shea Charles in the Northern Ireland box, but could only blast over.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the 50th minute as Shea Charles’ vicious corner from the left evaded everyone except Ballard, who stooped to nod home from just a couple of yards out.

Things got even better for Northern Ireland just after the hour mark when, after a lengthy VAR check, they were awarded a penalty when Kirill Pechenin was adjudged to have handled Shea Charles’ free-kick.

Dion Charles took responsibility for the spot kick ad found the bottom left corner to double Northern Ireland’s advantage.

Isaac Price then blasted just wide and then sub Jamie Reid fired just over the bar within 60 seconds of each other as Northern Ireland went on the hunt for a third goal.

It nearly came in stoppage time from an unlikely source - as substitute George Saville weaved his way into the box, only to see his goalbound shot beaten out for a corner by the goalkeeper.

But it mattered little, as Northern Ireland eased their way over the line to another three points.

O'Neill and his side now know that a draw away to bottom side Luxembourg on Monday night will see them win the group and with it, earn promotion to the next tier of the Nations League, but more importantly, grant them a better seeding for next year's World Cup qualifiers.

MATCH STATS

Northern Ireland: P Charles, Brown, Ballard (Saville 75), Hume, McCann, S Charles (C), Spencer, Bradley (Lyons 89), Price (McConville 85), D Charles (Magennis 75), Smyth (Reid 75)

Subs not used: Peacock-Farrell (GK), Southwood (GK), Balmer, Galbraith, Marshall, Thompson, Bonis

Belarus: Lapoukhov, Politevich, Martynovich (C), Zavelin, Selyava (Ebong 62), Yablonski (Klimovich 62), Pechenin (Prischepa 72) Pigas, Barkovski (Antilevski 62), Gromyko (Demechenko 72), Shikavka

Subs not used: Plotnikov (GK), Pavlyuchenko (GK), Polyakov, Karpovich, Parkhomenko, Kovalev, Volkov

Referee: Luis Godinho (Portugal)