Soccer

Clean sheet at last but no goals for Northern Ireland against Bulgaria

Northern Ireland's Niall McGinn holds his head after an effort was deflected wide against Bulgaria.
Northern Ireland's Niall McGinn holds his head after an effort was deflected wide against Bulgaria. Northern Ireland's Niall McGinn holds his head after an effort was deflected wide against Bulgaria.

World Cup 2022 European qualifying Group C: Northern Ireland 0-0 Bulgaria

You don't need to double-check the date on this paper and wonder – another Northern Ireland game without victory was sadly all too believable.

The match stats might make you look again at that scoreline, yet although there's no doubt that the hosts were the better team against an admittedly experimental Bulgarian side, despite having two-thirds of the possession the men in green largely lacked invention, inspiration, and a cutting edge.

Indeed Bulgaria almost made fools of their hosts by snatching what would have been an extraordinary victory in added time, although such an outcome would have been ridiculously unfair on NI.

Still, Ian Baraclough has now gone 11 matches without winning inside 90 minutes and almost lost it outside that timeframe but for a fabulous late save by Bailey Peacock-Farrell.

Even if anyone would believe them, few would claim to have been present at this match where the men in green barely troubled a visiting goalkeeper and back three with only five caps between them, with four of those players debutants.

The home side was almost as strong as it can be after Baraclough made three personnel changes to the team that lined out in Italy six days earlier, in defence and midfield. Jamal Lewis returned on the left side – meaning Stuart Dallas switched across to right wing-back in place of Michael Smith.

Daniel Ballard came in on the right of the three centre backs, pushing Paddy McNair into midfield, where he was joined by George Saville after his Middlesbrough colleague impressed off the bench in Parma. Ali McCann and Corry Evans were the others to drop out.

Having made six changes between the first two qualifers, Bulgaria coach Yasen Petrov made half a dozen more. Indeed those alterations included four full debuts, for goalkeeper Daniel Naumov, the Hristov twins Andrea and Petko in defence, and Antonio Vutov in midfield, with Georgi Yomov and Kiril Despodov also coming back in after starting against Switzerland.

Both sides set out in 3-5-2 formations and initially the visitors were more positive than had been anticipated, biting into tackles in midfield, then quickly slipping balls in behind the home rearguard, but without being able to make that final pass count.

However, it was home skipper Steven Davis, making his 'home nations' record-breaking 126th international appearance, who had the first decent effort, striking a low shot wide from the edge of the box.

Josh Magennis had a few sights of goal, but was unable to get enough power in a header to trouble Naumov, then only netted after the flag had gone up against Dallas for a perceived foul.

NI then gradually pinned their opponents back, forcing them into a back five, with Dallas and Lewis both very high and very wide.

The hosts almost opened the scoring midway through the half, from an unexpected combination, at least in terms of its order. Magennis turned provider, delivering a superb deep cross from the left byline, and Dallas rose high to power a header, but it bounced back off the bar and the danger was eventually cleared.

The men in green had plenty of patient, precise possession, but too often the passing lacked pace and zip, playing in front of their opponents rather than getting around or behind them.

The rhythm of the match wasn't helped by a series of offsides, from both teams, and many niggly little fouls. The visitors were also vociferous in their many complaints to the referee.

Bulgaria suffered a blow when their captain Georgi Kostadinov limped off shortly before half-time, and made another change at the interval, sending on Dimitar Iliev on for Vutov.

However, there was more urgency about the home side's approach after the re-start, with Gavin Whyte forcing a first serious save with a bouncing half-volley after Craig Cathcart had headed back a centre from McNair.

The latter began to pose regular problems on the right of midfield but there always seemed to be a Bulgarian body in the way of a cross or any shot he set up. The 22-year-old Hristovs, either side of 20-year-old Valentin Antov, were playing like veterans.

Jonny Evans began challenging for more headers in the opposition box, but without looking like scoring. Indeed that went for all his colleagues, as Northern Ireland huffed and puffed without ever looking like blowing the Bulgarian house down.

Niall McGinn, scorer of a superb goal on Sunday against the USA, came on for Whyte, and fired a fierce shot not far wide, but there were still few signs of the deadlock being broken.

Baraclough sent on Smith and Matty Kennedy, altering the shape to 4-4-2 with Dallas moving into midfield and the Leeds man almost set up what would surely have been the winner. Receiving the ball from Lewis, he slipped it right to McGinn, but his left-footed effort was deflected wide off a lunging defender.

Northern Ireland's disappointing night was almost made worse in added time when Despodov swung over a corner which Dimitar Iliev met with a forceful header – but Peacock-Farrell plunged to his left to make a brilliant clawing save.

Bulgaria, who came for a point, had almost got three. In the end, though, despite a first clean sheet in 12 matches, one point is of little use or consolation to Northern Ireland, even with six more qualifiers to come in the autumn.

Northern Ireland (3-5-2): Peacock-Farrell; Ballard (Smith, 74), Cathcart, J Evans; Dallas, McNair, Davis (capt.), Saville (Kennedy, 74), Lewis; Whyte (McGinn, 64), Magennis (Lafferty, 82).

Bulgaria (3-5-2): Naumov; P Hristov, Antov, A Hristov; Yomov (Karagaren, 72), Vutov (D Iliev, h-t), Chochev, Kostadinov (capt.) (Vitanov, 43), Tsvetanov (Zanev, 72); Despodov, Galabinov (A Iliev, 73).