Northern Ireland were narrowly defeated by Slovakia in their penultimate game in the European group stages of FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers tonight.
A controversial goal in extra time was enough to give the Slovakians a 1-0 victory in a scrappy encounter at the Kosicka Futbalova Arena in Kosice.
The defeat means Slovakia and Germany will meet in Leipzig on Monday to decide who tops Group A in the European qualifiers and gains automatic promotion to the World Cup finals in North America next summer. Both have 12 points after five matches.
Northern Ireland are guaranteed to finish in third place in the group, with six points from five matches, and more importantly they have guaranteed a World Cup play-off spot.
Croatia's win over the Faroe Islands tonight - it ensured Czech Republic will finish in the top two in Group L - means Northern Ireland have secured one of four play-off spots held for UEFA Nations League group winners.
Slovakia started on the front foot in front of 12,000 spectators, including around 900 members of the Green and White Army, and the Northern Ireland defence blocked a couple of shots from Slovakia captain Milan Skriniar early on.
Bailey Peacock-Farrell sped off his line to collect the ball on the ground as Slovakia threatened before Trai Hume blocked an attempt from attacking midfielder Tomas Rigo.
On 16 minutes Justin Devenny launched a free-kick into the penalty area which was met by Daniel Ballard, however his header dropped past the far post.
Then Slovakia striker David Strelec broke the offside trap and raced towards goal before smashing the ball against the post.
The Northern Ireland back three of Paddy McNair, Ballard and Ruairi McConville, flanked by Devenny and Hume, had to be on their toes to clear a series of crosses into the area.
Following a Slovakia clearance McConville clipped the ball on to Dion Charles inside the area, however the striker’s header was plucked out of the air by Slovakia keeper Martin Dubravka.
Stanislav Lobotka sliced a shot off target as Slovakia continued to push forward.
A Hume free-kick fell to McConville at the back post, however he could only scoop his shot well wide of the target.
A Devenny free-kick then found Isaac Price at the back post and he produced a low drive which drifted past the far post.
Towards the end of the half Northern Ireland saw plenty of the ball. A low Conor Bradley cross into the danger zone was cleared and then a Devenny cross was blocked.
On 44 minutes a rasping volley from Slovakia captain Skriniar, which took a slight deflection off McNair, went inches past the post.
Right on the stroke of half-time the ball fell to George Saville just inside the penalty area and his powerful strike went over the top.
Just after the restart Saville blocked a shot from Strelec. Down the other end a low Bradley cross into the area was cleared. And Ballard scooped away a dangerous cross into the area as Slovakia threatened.
Slovakia had the ball in the net on 56 minutes. Lukas Haraslin’s strike from a free-kick found the bottom corner, however his effort was ruled out by VAR as Skriniar was adjudged to have been in an offside position, and had obstructed the keeper’s view, as he dummied the ball as it flew into the net.
Haraslin scooped a shot over the top minutes later before Peacock-Farrell dived bravely to stop a dangerous cross from Adam Obert as Strelec looked set to pounce.
Slovakia thought they had taken the lead once more in the 64th minute.Haraslin fired in a free-kick and Strelec appeared to flick a header past the Northern Ireland keeper into the far corner. However, the ball hit Strelec’s arm on the way into the net and was ruled out by VAR.
Price sliced a shot across the area as Northern Ireland, who were under the cosh, tried to create something down the other end of the pitch.
The industrious Lyons, who along with Saville constantly closed down the opposition and battled for the ball, fired a shot over the bar as the visitors looked for the opener.
Hancko shot straight at Peacock-Farrell as the game swung from end to end.
In the first minute of added time Slovakia scored what proved to be the winner. Substitute Laszlo Benes delivered a corner into the penalty box where fellow sub Tomas Bobcek, who had only been on the field for three minutes, slammed the ball home.
The goal was confirmed by VAR, however Northern Ireland felt aggrieved as Ballard was pushed over as the corner found its way to Bobcek.
In the closing stages a Bobcek long range effort drifted wide of the post and Ballard was red-carded for a second bookable offence, meaning he will miss Monday’s final group game against Luxembourg in Belfast.
Slovakia: Martin Dubravka, Norbert Gyomber, David Hancko, Adam Obert, Milan Skriniar (captain), Stanislav Lobotka, Matus Bero, Tomas Rigo, David Strelec, David Duris, Lukas Haraslin.
Substitutes: (used) Leo Sauer, Laszlo Benes, Lubomir Tupta, Tomas Bobcek, Robert Bozenik; (unused) Marek Rodak (GK), Dominik Takac (GK), Peter Pekarik, Denis Vavro, Ivan Mesik, Patrick Hrosovsky, Ivan Schranz.
Northern Ireland: Bailey Peacock-Farrell, Trai Hume, Justin Devenny, Ruairi McConville, Paddy McNair, Daniel Ballard, Conor Bradley, George Saville, Dion Charles, Isaac Price, Brad Lyons.
Substitutes: (used) Jamie Reid, Josh Magennis, Jamie Donley, Ciaran Brown; (unused)Conor Hazard, Luke Southwood, Jamal Lewis, Terry Devlin, Callum Marshall, Paul Smyth, Patrick Kelly, Jamie McDonnell.
Action from Kosice
