Women's Euro 2025 Qualifier: Disappointing start for Northern Ireland

A scoreless draw against the perceived worst team in the group is not how Tanya Oxtoby and Northern Ireland wanted, but it was what they deserved at Windsor Park on Friday evening.

With a bug having moved its way though the squad during the week and injuries already coming into camp, Oxtoby was forced into changes, with Nadene Caldwell moving from her regular midfield spot into the heart of the back four alongside Laura Rafferty, with Sarah McFadden on the treatment table.

As expected, the home side enjoyed probably 75 per cent of the possession in the opening period, but never truly looked like cutting an organised Malta backline open. The visitors were content to sit back and attempt to hit Northern Ireland on the counter-attack – but that in itself never transpired in the first 45 minutes.

The first time Northern Ireland threatened took until 24 minutes to arrive as Simone Magill was inches away from getting on the end of Demi Vance's teasing cross from the left. Malta keeper Janice Quereb did well to cut out the ball.

Three minutes later, Joely Andrews did well to nip in and get to a loose ball 25 yards out from the Malta goal. But while her first-time shot was a decent effort, it was comfortably held by Quereb.

As the half threatened to peter to a close, Northern Ireland thought they had broken the deadlock just before half-time, when Magill got on the end of Andrews' cutback in the box. She managed to turn and poke it home, but the referee adjudged the Aston Villa striker to have handled.

There was more action in the first few minutes of the second period than almost all of the first, and it was the visitors who almost took the lead in sensational fashion.

Shona Zammit let fly from all of 30 yards, but her effort whistled just wide of the post, with Jackie Burns at full stretch on 47 minutes.

Then two minutes later, it was the home side’s turn to go close.

Demi Vance's cross from the right – after she had kicked the corner flag seconds before - almost deceived Quereb, who spilt it into the path of Magill.

She went down under pressure, appearing to have her left leg taken from underneath her, but Italian Referee Maria Marotta waved away penalty appeals.

Just before the hour mark, Oxtoby made her first move to freshen thing up, bringing on Rangers midfielder Megan Bell and Linfield forward Keri Halliday for the midfield pair of captain Marissa Callaghan and Joely Andrews.

It was another midfielder, Chloe McCarron who tested Quereb next, with a 25-yarded that the Maltese keeper pushed round the post for a corner and Northern Ireland searched for a winner.

However, Northern Ireland looked bereft of ideas in what was a poor day at the office as Malta celebrated a good point for them.

MATCH STATS

Northern Ireland: Burns, McKenna, Vance, Rafferty, Callaghan (Bell 58), Hamilton (Scofield 71), Caldwell, McCarron, Andrews (Halliday 58), Magill, Wade (Wilson 89)

Subs not used: Perry (GK), Harvey-Clifford (GK), Dugdale, McLaren, McPartlan, Holloway, Magee

Malta: J Xuereb, C Zammit, Said, S Farrugia, Lipman (Rapa 72), Cuschieri, S Zammit, Borg, Sultana (Willis 58), M Farrugia, Bugeja (Sciberras 89)

Subs not used: Costantino (GK), Zahra. Theuma, Flask, Lucia, Mifsud, E Xuereb, Carella

Referee: Maria Marotta (Italy)