Northern Ireland secured a fine 2-0 victory over Slovakia in Belfast tonight.
An own goal and a peach from Trai Hume saw them leapfrog Slovakia in Group A of the European qualifiers for FIFA World Cup 2026 at the Clearer Twist National Stadium at Windsor Park.
Slovakia, who had topped the table going in to the game, have dropped to third after Germany reached the summit thanks to a 4-0 win against Luxembourg in Sinsheim in southwestern Germany.
All three countries have six points after three Group A games. Germany’s goal difference is now four, Northern Ireland’s is two, while Slovakia have a GD of one.
O’Neill made just one change from the side that started the 3-1 loss against Germany in Cologne last month, Daniel Ballard coming into the defence in place of Eoin Toal.
There was early pressure from a bright and energetic Northern Ireland in front of 18,109 fans at the National Stadium.
Isaac Price swung in a dangerous cross which Slovakia captain Milan Skriniar reached just ahead of Conor Bradley and cleared for a corner.
Jamie Reid had a shot blocked before Justin Devenny strode forward and fired a low shot towards goal which Slovakia keeper Martin Dubravka comfortably gathered in.
Shea Charles whipped in a vicious free-kick which Dubravka managed to punch away.
Northern Ireland opened the scoring on 18 minutes. Captain Bradley and Ethan Galbraith combined superbly down the right before Galbraith sped towards the bye-line and blasted the ball in low and hard towards the six-yard box where Slovakia midfielder Patrik Hrosovsky turned it into his own net.
Two minutes later Slovakia midfielder Ondrej Duda tested Bailey Peacock-Farrell with a crisp drive which nestled in the Northern Ireland keeper’s arms.
Northern Ireland then continued to press. Reid lofted the ball towards the back post, however Dubravka grabbed it. And Devenny stung the palms of Dubravka with a sizzling strike on the run.
On 35 minutes Bradley raced forward and fed Charles. As Slovakia tried to clear their lines there was a bit of pinball in the penalty area and the loose ball fell to the unmarked Reid eight yards out but he could only scoop his shot wide.
Just after the restart Charles had a low drive blocked before Bradley blasted a shot over the bar. Then Bradley sliced a shot wide of the post.
Peacock-Farrell had to react quickly to keep out a header from Matus Bero, and Galbraith had a shot blocked as Northern Ireland drove forward.
On 56 minutes Reid steered the ball into the net from a Charles pass, however he was adjudged to have been in an offside position when he received the ball.
Ballard dived full length to cut out a dangerous cross at the other end before Peacock-Farrell punched away a corner.
Ballard nodded on a Peacock-Farrell free-kick inside the area, however no-one was on hand to capitalise.
There was a let-off for Northern Ireland when Slovakian striker David Strelec drove forward and fired a shot inches wide of the post.
Following a well-worked move the ball reached Hume at the back post. He headed it back across goal, but there was no-one there to meet it.
Price curled a pass into the danger zone, however again no-one was able to get on the end of it.
On 78 minutes Charles produced a superb curler from 20 yards which Dubravka pushed around the post.
Three minutes later Hume grabbed Northern Ireland’s second and his first senior international goal. Paddy McNair headed a clearance back towards goal which was then headed on by Hume. Dubravka met the ball and punched it straight to Hume 25 yards out and he superbly lofted it, on the volley, into an empty net. The fans in the packed stadium erupted.
In the closing stages substitute Brodie Spencer blocked a goal-bound effort from Slovakian defender Adam Obert. Devenny also blocked an effort from Slovakia substitute Lukas Haraslin, and Ballard blocked a shot from another Slovakian sub, Tomas Rigo.
But the three points were well and truly in the bag by that stage.
Next up for Northern Ireland is another home qualifier, this time against new table toppers Germany, on Monday (7.45pm).
Northern Ireland: Bailey Peacock-Farrell, Conor Bradley (captain), Justin Devenny, Trai Hume, Paddy McNair, Daniel Ballard, Ethan Galbraith, Shea Charles, Jamie Reid, Isaac Price, Alistair McCann.
Substitutes: (used) Dion Charles, Brodie Spencer, Josh Magennis; (unused) Conor Hazard (GK), Luke Southwood (GK), Eoin Toal, George Saville, Callum Marshall, Jamie Donley, Paul Smyth, Ruairi McConville, Jamie McDonnell.
Slovakia: Martin Dubravka, Norbert Gyomber, Adam Obert, Milan Skriniar (captain), Lubomir Satka, Matus Bero, Leo Sauer, Ondrej Duda, David Strelec, Patrik Hrosovsky, Ivan Schranz.
Substitutes: (used) Tomas Rigo, Lukas Haraslin, Lubomir Tupta, Laszlo Benes, Samuel Mraz; (unused) Marek Rodak (GK), Dominik Takac, Peter Pekarik, Ivan Mesik, Robert Bozenik, Samuel Kozlovsky, David Duris.
Action from National Stadium
