Northern Ireland Euro 2012 Fixtures

Northern Ireland slumped to yet another away defeat being beaten 1-0 by Albania in a scrappy match in Tirana.

Yet again, Worthington's team's dependence on the long ball and lack of ideas in the final third was ever present. Northern Ireland were a little unlucky with Motherwell defender Stephen Craigan seeing two efforts hit the woodwork in the second half as Northern Ireland chased the game against Albania.

The only half-decent opportunity of the game saw Albania's Skela score from a free kick following a pull-back by McCartney on Bogdani. That was all it needed.

The pitch was a mess and Northern Ireland may have had a better chance in a Toyota Landcruiser than they had with what was a makeshift side this evening. Kyle Lafferty looked decidedly uncomfortable and on the back of his behaviour at the Old Firm game at the weekend, did his popularity no good at all, seeing yellow for descent. Even Niall McGinn couldn't really get out of the blocks tonight and David Healy was invisible after a tumultuous season so far.

Worthington brought on Dean Shiels and Corry Evans for McGinn and O'Connor in the second half, but the traveling Northern Ireland supporters and nothing to cheer about. Grant McCann nearly provided the perfect ball in the 61st minute only for Craigan to head off the bar. Lafferty too was substituted by Coleraine's Rory Patterson but any change did little and Albania remained comfortable to seal the victory.

Worthington will be more unimpressed by the confidence of his squad rather than the overall result, but again, it questions the very idea of having a midweek friendly in the middle of the season so far away from home. Ridiculous really.

Final Score: Albania 1 (1) Skela 25 Northern Ireland 0

HDMOTM: Grant McCann

• Northern Ireland
• Maik Taylor
• Stephen Craigan
• Ryan McGivern
• Niall McGinn
• David Healy
• Steven Davis
• Grant McCann
• Andrew Little
• George McCartney
• Michael O'Connor
• Kyle Lafferty

• Subs
• Jonny Evans / McGinn (46)
• Corry Evans / O'Conner (46)
• Jonathan Tuffey / Taylor (71)
• Andy Kirk / Healy (78)

• Albania
• Isli Hidi
• Armend Dallku
• Ansi Agolli
• Debatik Curri
• Klodian Duro
• Erion Bogdani
• Andi Lila
• Kristi Vangjeli
• Altin Lala
• Ervin Bulku
• Ervin Skela

• Subs
• Hamdi Salihi / Bogdani (46)
• Lorik Cana / Lala (64)
• Elis Bakaj / Duro (78)
• Emiljan Vila / Skela (81)
• Edmond Kapllani / Bulku (86)

Location: Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana.

Northern Ireland have travelled to the Americas with what can only be described as a glorified B team, but that was only to be expected.

Nigel Worthington made it clear he wanted to use this tour as an opportunity to get to know some of the fringe players and those that are coming through the U19 and U21 squads.

In the baking heat Worthington started with five players making their international debuts with Linfield's Alan Blayney, Robbie Garrett and Jamie Mulgrew, John Gorman of Wolves and Kevin Braniff of Portadown.

The kids did alright in the first half, showing confidence and ability despite being outplayed. They were deserving of the goalless scoreline at the interval, but it was unlikely to last and sure enough the Turks took the lead shortly after the break through substitute Sercan Yildirim.

The new-look Northern Ireland side were spending long periods without the ball and it came as no shock to see Fenerbahce's Semih Senturk slot-in from just inside the area in the 72nd minute as the Northern Ireland youngsters were unable to clear their lines.

A decent chance from Andrew Little earlier in the second half could have seen things different, but the ball ended up on the roof of the net rather than in it. Worthington continued to introduce fresh faces later in the game with Josh Magennis, Michael Bryan, James Lawrie, Rory McArdle and Colin Coates all making an appearance in the last 20 minutes.

Worthers can certainly take heart. There was no humiliation and Guus Hiddink's side did beat the Czech Republic last Saturday in New Jersey as well.

Final Score: Turkey (0) 2 Yildirim 48 Senturk 72 Northern Ireland 0

HDMOTM: Andrew Little

Booked: Gorman (19 mins)

Referee: T.Vaughan (USA)

Attendance: 4,000

• Northern Ireland
• Alan Blayney
• Andrew Little
• Gareth McAuley
• Stephen Craigan
• Ryan McGivern
• Robbie Garrett
• Jamie Mulgrew
• Corry Evans
• Kevin Braniff
• Johnny Gorman
• Rory Patterson

• Subs
• Josh Magennis / Paterson (61)
• Rory McArdle / Braniff (61)
• Michael Bryan / Gorman (66)
• Colin Coates / McGivern (78)
• James Lawrie / Garrett (80)

• Turkey
• Recep Onur Kivrak
• Servet Cetin
• Caner Erkin
• Selcuk Inan
• Ozan Ipek
• Sanli Tuncay
• Sarioglu Sabri
• Ibrahim Toraman
• Hamit Altintop
• Nuri Sahin
• Colin Kazim-Richards

• Subs
• Mehmet Topal / Altintop (46)
• Sercan Yildrim / Sahin (46)
• Senturk Semih / Kazim-Richards (62)
• Turan Arda / Ipek (67)
• Belozoglu Emre / Inan (67)
• Ismail Koybasi / Erkin (74)

Location: Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia.

The long-haul to the States seemed ridiculous enough, but a 5,000 mile onward journey to Chile seemed to take the biscuit, especially for any Northern Ireland fans hoping to follow.

It was another inexperienced side against tonight's opponents who are in the same World Cup Group as Honduras, Spain and Switzerland in South Africa. Chile have decided to play two international friendlies on the same day, with the 'other'team hosting Israel.

Chile made a confident start with Linfield 'keeper Alan Blayney forced to make an early save from Marco Estrada and then soon after to deny Gonzalo Fierro. But it was Esteban Paredes who gave Chile a deserved lead on the half hour heading from a Matias Fernandez corner passed Blayney and into the net.

Northern Ireland looked fairly bright and John Gorman especially made a good account of himself only to scorn an excellent chance to put Northern Ireland back on level terms after a beautiful ball from Rory Patterson.

Worthington made the obvious half-time changes bringing on McGovern, McArdle, Lawrie and Kevin Braniff. Northern Ireland continued to struggle to make any impact and were very lucky not to have conceded a penalty after Andrew Little brought down Parades in the area. In injury time McGovern was forced to make a great stretching save from a 30-yard Estrada shot to spare any blushes.

Again, some decent individual performances will have pleased Worthington. The scoreline doesn't really say too much, but there will definitely be a few debutants included in the forthcoming Euro 2012 Qualifiers.

Northern Ireland's final friendly before qualifying is against Montenegro in Podgorica on August 11th.

Final Score: Chile 1 (1) Paredes 30 Northern Ireland 0

HDMOTM: John Gorman

Booked: Garrett (27 mins), McGovern (87 mins)

Referee: L.Prudente (Uruguay)

Attendance: 12,000

• Northern Ireland
• Alan Blayney
• Andrew Little
• Gareth McAuley
• Stephen Craigan
• Ryan McGivern
• Robbie Garrett
• Jamie Mulgrew
• Corry Evans
• Michael Bryan
• Johnny Gorman
• Rory Patterson

• Subs
• Kevin Braniff / Garrett (46)
• Rory McArdle / Craigan (46)
• James Lawrie / Bryan (46)
• Michael McGovern / Blaney (46)
• Colin Coates / McGivern (56)
• Josh Magennis / Gorman (73)

• Chile
• Miguel Pinto
• Arturo Vidal
• Ismael Fuentes
• Pablo Contreras
• Roberto Cereceda
• Mauricio Isla
• Marco Estrada
• Matías Fernández
• Gonzalo Fierro
• Esteban Paredes
• Mark Gonzalez

• Subs
• Fabian Orellana / Gonzalez (64)
• Carlos Ross / Erasmo (77)
• Felipe Gutierrez / Fernández (90)

Location: Estadio Bicentenario Municipal Nelson Oyarzún.

Radomir Đalović swept aside Northern Ireland as yet again we fail to beat mediocre opposition away from home.

Typically, an unsettled start saw the home side look comfortable with Vučinić having a great opportunity with a missed header in the 16th minute going wide. Montenegro looked up for the game right from the start with some brilliant one touch football but little to worry Maik Taylor in terms of delivery.

Worthington started with a 4-3-2-1 formation with both Martin Paterson and Chris Brunt flanking Lafferty up front. Paterson looked intelligent, with some great through balls early doors but nothing at the other end to connect. Lafferty knew Healy, Patterson and Feeney were on the bench, so the pressure was on.

Midway through the first half Lafferty was starting to look frustrated but kept his cool in the face of a bad tempered appearance last time round with Albania. He’s the last player to score for Northern Ireland but without a goal in six games it was always a risk playing one up front against a side determined to prove themselves in England’s Euro Group.

A Zverotic free kick in the 41st minute saw Maik Taylor spare any blushes with a great dipping ball into the box. Northern Ireland had little time to reposition themselves and a throw-in saw McGivern loose Vukčević just outside the box who crossed in, and a ping-pong affair saw the ball land with Radomir Dalovic who drilled it to the right of Maik Taylor to put the home side ahead. It was poor defending and a 5th goal in 15 games for Dalovic. Not the half-time result Worthington was looking for at all, but this had been threatening all half.

Northern Ireland used the ball well, retaining well amongst Baird, Clingan and Davis, but it was in the final third that they were letting themselves down. Montenegro were slightly fortunate to go in at half time a goal up, but they were looking dangerous all along from crosses, and when it came to the crunch just didn’t have enough bodies in the box to stop the goal. If this was a qualifying game, then it looked like we were going to get nothing out of it.

The second half saw Corey Evans, Warren Feeney and Grant McCann come on to try and put things right before the first qualifier in Slovenia early next month. Lafferty came close on the 56th minute when his shot looked to be going for the corner of the net only to be saved by Božović. Johnny Gorman came on for Lafferty moments later, capitalizing on his impressive appearance on the Americas tour. However, within seconds, a defensive blunder by captain Stephen Craigan saw the ball gifted to Dalovic who took his brace with an easy tap into the right corner of Maik Taylor’s net. Here we go again.

Oliver Norwood and Healy came on, expected to be good in possession with the need for Northern Ireland to do something, and fast. Was it the heat that was taking its toll, or were we just simply being outplayed?

It did not look like Northern Ireland were going to score and with a clearly out of form David Healy and nothing else to substitute, the press will now be starting to ask questions as to where the goals are going to come from. This is seven games for Northern Ireland without a goal.

Grant McCann came close in the 88th minute with a great fee kick testing Božović but regardless, Nigel Worthington will have to ask questions in the face of a very difficult tie next month in Slovenia. The end product in the final third has to improve. Under Sanchez Healy was a record goal scorer, under Worthington he’s invisible.

Final Score: Montenegro 2 (1) Đalović 43, 59 Northern Ireland 0

HDMOTM:Nobody

Booked: Paterson 36, Lafferty 57, McCann 77

Referee: B Jovanetic

Attendance: 5,000

• Northern Ireland
• Maik Taylor
• Andrew Little
• Ryan McGivern
• Jonny Evans
• Stephen Craigan
• Chris Baird
• Steven Davis
• Sammy Clingan
• Martin Paterson
• Kyle Lafferty
• Chris Brunt

• Subs
• Grant McCann / Brunt (46)
• Corey Evans / Paterson (46)
• Warren Feeney / Baird (46)
• Johnny Gorman / Lafferty (58)
• Oliver Norwood / Clingan (64)
• David Healy / McGivern (68)
• Alan Blayney
• Jonathan Tuffey
• Rory Patterson

• Montenegro
• Mladen Božović
• Savo Pavićević
• Miodrag Dzudovic
• Milan Jovanović
• Milorad Peković
• Simon Vukčević
• Luka Pejović
• Elsad Zverotic
• Vladimir Božović
• Mirko Vučinić
• Radomir Đalović

• Subs
• Drasko Božović /Zverotic (52)
• Žarko Tomašević /Pejović (56)
• Mitar Novaković /Peković (62)
• Stefan Savić /Jovanović (75)
• Andrija Delibašić /Đalović (78)
• Fatos Bećiraj /Zverotic (83)
• Srđan Blažić

Location: Gradski Stadion, Podgorica.

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• Northern Ireland

• Subs

• Slovenia

• Subs

Location: Stadion Ljudski, Maribor, Slovenia.

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• Northern Ireland

• Subs

• Italy

• Subs

Location: Windsor Park.

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• Northern Ireland

• Subs

• Faroe Islands

• Subs

Location: Svangaskard Stadium, Toftir.

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• Northern Ireland

• Subs

• Serbia

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• Northern Ireland

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• Slovenia

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Location: Windsor Park.

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• Northern Ireland

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• Faroe Islands

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Location: Windsor Park.

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• Northern Ireland

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• Estonia

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Location: TBC.

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• Northern Ireland

• Subs

• Serbia

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Location: Windsor Park.

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• Northern Ireland

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• Estonia

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• Northern Ireland

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• Estonia

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Location: Windsor Park.

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• Northern Ireland

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• Italy

• Subs

Location: TBC.