Nations League: Wade hits the winner as Northern Ireland get maiden Nations League victory

Lauren Wade marked her 50th cap for Northern Ireland with the only goal of the game as Tanya Oxtoby grabbed her first win in charge.

In truth, the scoreline doesn't reflect Northern Ireland's dominance from beginning to end at Seaview as the home side could have have won by a much more handsome margin than they did in the end.

Oxtoby was able to make six changes from the side that started Saturday's 3-0 defeat to the Republic of Ireland in Dublin, with experienced duo Marissa Callaghan and Rachel Furness moving to the bench for this one.

But that mattered little, as Northern Ireland moved second in their Nations League with

After a period of early pressure, Northern Ireland should have gone in front with two chances in as many minutes.

After the Albanian defence failed to clear a cross into the box, the ball fell to Lauren Wade, but her low shot cannoned back off the bae of the right-hand post on 20 minutes.

Then less than 60 seconds later, Simone Magill really should have broken the deadlock, but the Aston Villa keeper could only sidefoot her effort straight at Albanian keeper Viona Rexhepi from eight yards out.

Despite that, the home side continued to dominate proceedings, keeping the visitors pinned back into their own half for the bulk of the opening period.

Magill then went close again 10 minutes before the break, but this one was a more difficult chance.

Demi Vance whipped in a cross from the left-hand side and Magill nodded wide of the right post. Vance then tried her luck from all of 35 yards three minutes short of half-time, with a left foot effort that flew just wide.

After another fast start to the second period, the first goal of Tanya Oxtoby’s reign arrived shortly before the hour mark.

Good work down the right hand side by Megan Bell and Rebecca McKenna ended with Bell crossing to the back post where Nadene Caldwell saw her close-range header beaten out by Rexhepi. But Caldwell managed to fire the loose ball across goal, where Lauren Wade was on hand to sidefoot into the open net on 57 minutes.

They came agonisingly close to doubling the lead eight minutes after the opener.

Sarah McFadden – on her 100th cap - connected with Vance’s corner from the left, only for Rexhepi to dive to her right to keep the defender’s header out.

Two minutes after that, Bell fired in a low drive from 20 yards that looked destined for the bottom left corner, but again the Albanian keeper did well to push it out for a corner as Northern Ireland continued their dominance.

In stoppage time, it could have been two as first McFadden went close from distance, before substitute Callaghan saw her goalbound header tipped over the ball following Magill's cross from the right.

However, they didn't need it in the end as the win was secured in comfortable style.

MATCH STATS

Northern Ireland: Turner, McKenna, McFadden, Vance, Bell (Andrews 74), Caldwell (Callaghan 83), McCarron (Furness 83), Holloway, Wade, Magill, K McGuinness (Wilson 74)

Subs: Norney (GK), Woods (GK), Mason, Hamilton, Rafferty, C McGuinness, Beattie, Magee

Albania: Rexhepi, Maliqi, Curraj, Gjergi, Gjini, Hila, Deci, Berisha, Maksuti (Troka 85), Bashka (Metalla 61), Tukaj

Subs: Hyska (GK), Spaho (GK), Toma, Iliadhi, Coka, Fucia

Referee: Zulema Gonzalez (Spain)

Attendance: 1,597