Euro 2024 qualifying group H: Northern Ireland 0-1 Slovenia
Variety, elements of surprise after early predictability – yes, ‘Chant Listen’ was almost as fun as this entertaining encounter.
Yet another 1-0 loss, the third at Windsor Park in this campaign, but the home display and home support were both much better than during Saturday’s facile win over San Marino, despite suffering defeat.
That outcome looked even more likely than anticipated after conceding a fifth minute goal from Adam Cerin from a controversial free kick.
When defensive midfielder Shea Charles was sent off just before the hour for two yellow cards - the first in protest at the dubious free kick from which the goal was scored – defeat seemed assured.
However, NI played pretty well, especially when down to 10 men, and indeed home substitute George Saville had two good chances to level, but both his shots were comfortably saved by Jan Oblak. One off his half-century of caps, the Millwall midfielder has still not opened his international account.
After all the furore following the anti-Casement Park chants on Saturday, in typical Northern Irish fashion of course it was the first ‘song’ sung – even before throw-in, sorry, kick-off.
Yet it was only aired again once, after the midway mark of the first half.
The home support largely contented themselves with praising, and contributing to, a positive performance, despite a depleted line-up.
‘Green and White Army’ got the most renditions, but the repertoire included the (cleaned-up) Josh Magennis song, ‘Stand up for the Ulstermen’, and the ditty about carousing with Geordie Best, among others.
Amusingly, the Slovenians’ most popular chant sounded uncannily like an old NI favourite, ‘Keith Gillespie’ – and belatedly the home fans did respond with that themselves.
Michael O’Neill had to make at least two changes from Saturday’s starting side, but two of the three he made raised some eyebrows.
With centre half Daniel Ballard injured and the versatile Paddy McNair serving a suspension, there were debuts for Eoin Toal and Brad Lyons, neither of whom had even made a friendly appearance before.
Obviously the manager’s options were limited, with talk of Shea Charles slotting back into central defence, but Kilmarnock man Lyons still got the nod in midfield ahead of the likes of George Saville and Isaac Price.
Prompting far less debate, Bailey Peacock-Farrell resumed the number one jersey, taking over from Conor Hazard, who had been given a stand-out in the 3-0 win over San Marino.
Unsurprisingly, Slovenia boss Matjaz Kek sent out the same XI that had started their home win by the same score-line over Finland at the weekend, their fourth consecutive victory in the group having kept them top of the table on goal difference.
The hosts were accommodating, wearing green shorts so that the visitors could be in all-white.
They also contributed to Slovenia’s goal, although less so than Romanian referee Istvan Kovacs. The official bizarrely and belatedly awarded a free kick just outside the box, several seconds after left-back Jamal Lewis had appeared to cover across and clear cleanly from Sesko.
Ni did not help themselves, though, by allowing the visitors to build a mini ‘wall’, which parted for Cerin’s curling free kick to go through – and Peacock-Farrell perhaps should still have got to it. Instead it flew in off the far post.
After that, though, there were positive, if risky signs, with the men in green trying to play out from the back, even against a high, often three-pronged press from Slovenia.
The diminutive Paul Smyth’s long throws posed problems to the visiting defence, but the over-fussy referee also clamped down on any physical challenges, especially in the penalty areas.
NI did get some much-needed luck, albeit only after initial ill-fortune. Slovenia seemed to have scored a second on the half hour, Benjamin Sesko stroking in after a low pass from Jan Mlakar reached him, off the heel of a mis-control from Toal. However, the VAR called referee Kovacs over to the pitch-side screen and the ‘goal’ was ruled out for an offside against the striker.
There were more moments for the home fans to cheer: another crunching, but ball-winning challenge by Trai Hume; a nutmeg from Shea Charles, following an earlier pirouette past two opponents; skipper Jonny Evans coming across to stop Sesko’s dangerous run into the penalty area with a back foot tackle.
No equaliser, though.
O’Neill made a fairly early attacking change, replacing Magennis with Conor Washington for the second half, but aside from an early spin and pass for the offside Dale Taylor he made little initial impact.
Unfortunately the same couldn’t be said of Shea Charles, who clattered into forward Andraz Sporar. Initially it seemed that the Southampton midfielder would escape with a ticking off – but, after a trademark long wait, it was instead a sending off, the ref showing him a second yellow card.
That was merited, but his first was questionable. However, at least the match official was consistent, cautioning Jordan Thompson as he argued against the dismissal.
Paul Smyth was next into the book, for a shoulder barge, and soon off the pitch, but at least only as part of a triple substitution. A man down, O’Neill sent on the fresh legs of Saville, Price, and striker Dion Charles.
Those first two almost combined to contrive an unlikely leveller. Price played a smart 1-2 on the right with Washington, cut the ball back to the onrushing, but although his shot was precise it lacked power and Oblak gratefully fell to his left to gather.
The Atletico Madrid keeper didn’t even have to move when Washington laid the ball back to Saville in the 83rd minute - even though the shot was struck much more fiercely, it was straight at Oblak.
That old classic about the referee’s personal sexual habits received a late airing as NI pressed desperately with a couple of late corner kicks.
Boos greeted the final whistle – but those were surely directed at Mr Kovacs, not the home players, who were warmly applauded, then cheered.
Northern Ireland: Peacock-Farrell; Hume, Toal, Evans (capt.), Lewis; S Charles, Smyth (D Charles, 63), Lyons (McMenamin, 86), Thompson (Price, 63), Taylor (Saville, 63); Magennis (Washington, h-t).
Slovenia: Oblak (capt.); Karnicnik, Blazic, Bijol, Janza (Verbic, 84); Stojanovic, Cerin, Elsnik, Mlakar (Lovric, 75); Sporar (Kurtic, 75), Sesko.
Referee: Istvan Kovacs (Romania).
Attendance: 16,332.