NI lose to Greece as Nations League woes proceed

Northern Eire’s seek for a first-ever Nations League win has now stretched to 11 matches after a deflating 1-0 residence defeat by Greece.

Substitute Kyle Lafferty fired simply over the crossbar with a well-hit free-kick late on because the hosts got here to life within the closing 25 minutes after a flat first-half efficiency.

Ian Baraclough’s males are actually away to Cyprus on Sunday of their second League C Group 2 match earlier than their busy schedule takes them to Kosovo on 9 June, then they full their opening quadruple-header at residence to Cyprus on 12 June.

Thursday evening’s consequence made it eight defeats and three attracts within the Nations League for Northern Eire, who’re taking part in within the third tier of the competitors for the primary time after being relegated.

Baraclough is with out various senior gamers for this camp and gave a aggressive debut to Fleetwood City’s Paddy Lane, whereas Manchester Metropolis’s 18-year-old Shea Charles, considered one of 4 new call-ups, got here on as a late substitute for his senior worldwide debut.

Greece’s decisive objective arrived within the thirty ninth minute when the Northern Eire midfield failed to trace the ahead run of visiting captain Bakasetas.

When Dimitris Limnios performed the ball inside from the correct, Bouchalakis had far an excessive amount of time and area on the sting of the field as he managed the ball properly and planted a tremendous low strike extensive of Bailey Peacock-Farrell and into the far nook.

The double substitution of Kyle Lafferty and Niall McGinn on the hour-mark injected much-needed life right into a low-key exhibiting from the house aspect, and each subs got here near grabbing an equaliser.

McGinn hit a snapshot from the sting of the realm on 66 minutes but it surely was straight at Benfica keeper Odisseas Vlachodimos and some minutes later captain Steven Davis – additional extending his caps report with a one hundred and thirty fifth look – hit a right-foot roller over the crossbar.

Extra to observe.