Northern Ireland 2-1 Finland:
Northern Ireland took a giant step towards Euro 2016
qualification with a 2-1 victory over Finland at Windsor Park.
Kyle Lafferty scored twice in the hosts’ impressive win,
making him the nation’s second highest goalscorer behind David Healy, which
sends them five points clear of third-placed Hungary and eight points ahead of
Finland.
With 24 teams set to compete at the tournament next summer,
a top-two finish would be enough for automatic qualification while third is
worth a play-off tie.
Michael O’Neill’s side made a nervy start as Teemu Pukki
tested Roy Carroll with a close range effort, but Northern Ireland responded
with several attacks of their own.
Chris Baird’s header was ruled out on nine minutes, before
Lafferty’s angled volley arrowed into the bottom corner mid-way through the
first half.
Then, five minutes later, the former Rangers forward doubled
his tally with a cushioned header after neat interplay between Conor McLaughlin
and Jamie Ward.
An abject Finland then provided a tense finale when Berat
Sadik profited from Carroll’s wayward parry to tap in.
But Northern Ireland held on for all three points in what
could be a defining game in their attempt for qualification.
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