I’m Harry Dodds, and welcome to Overtime Online’s coverage of Northern Ireland’s World Cup Qualifier against Lithuania at Windsor Park.
Neither side will be able to reach the World Cup, but both have a point to prove.
Kick-Off
2: Early chance for Washington as Magennis finds him with a low cross, but the Charlton man can’t quite connect
3: Lithuania are playing aggressively from the outset as they commit four fouls in three minutes, but the referee is yet to dish out a card.
5: Ally McCann’s cross deflects to Magennis in a dangerous area, who is caught in an offside position.
7: Jonny Evans plays a great ball down the line to Dallas, who is unable to control. Corner for Northern Ireland
8: Ferguson whips the corner towards Setkus in the Lithuania goal, but he parries the ball to safety
9: A massive chance from Northern Ireland! Shane Ferguson puts in a brilliant in-swinger, but Josh Magennis fails to connect with a header. The best chance of the game so far
11: Another big chance goes looming! Northern Ireland work the ball into Washington, who forces a good save from Ernestas Setkus. The hosts are banging on the door and Lithuania are struggling to keep it shut.
13: First chance for Lithuania as Noikovas meets a cross from Lasickas with a header, but it goes just wide, and the ball is pulled back for a Northern Ireland free-kick anyway
GOAL! Northern Ireland 1-0 Lithuania (Satkus OG 18′)
19: The hosts have the ball in the back of the net again as McCann slots home from Ferguson’s cross, but Josh Magennis is deemed to be obstructing the goalkeeper
27: Big chance for Lithuania to equalise as a lucky deflection sees Lasickas fire from close range, but the effort is saved by Bailey Peacock-Farrell. A warning sign for Northern Ireland!
30: Brilliant work from Paddy McNair down the right, who wins a corner for Northern Ireland, and the proceeding cross forces a punch away from the keeper, with the rebound being fired well over the Lithuania bar by McCann
34: Vaitkunas goes down for Lithuania, and looks in some discomfort
36: Another wreckless challenge from the visitors as Vaitkunas clatters into Josh Magennis immediately after coming back onto the pitch
41: Another disallowed goal for Northern Ireland! Josh Magennis nets a brilliant header from a corner, but the referee spots an infringement in the penalty area
45: Magennis is denied again as he meets Washington’s ball in but is denied by Setkus
45+1: McNair nutmegs his marker down the right, and his low cross is met by George Saville who can’t keep his shot down and curls it over the bar
HT: Northern Ireland 1-0 Lithuania
Second Half Kick-Off
47: Lithuania are trying to start strong as they force Peacock-Farrell into a claw away from a throw-in
50: The first big chance of the second half goes to Northern Ireland! Conor Washington finds space on the left and puts the ball into the danger area, but no one in a green shirt can get a shot away and Lithuania get the block in
53: Chance for George Saville as he takes the ball on the turn and shoots goalward, forcing a save from Setkus
57: McCann finds Magennis with a nicely weighted cross, but the striker just strays offside. It seems to just be one of those nights for Josh Magennis
59: Novikovas’ inswinging cross forces a fingertips save from Peacock-Farrell to send it out for a corner
61: Close! Josh Magennis finds space down the left, and his attempted cross went goalwards and forced a save from Ernestas Setkus
65: Tricky feet from Novikovas as he beats the Northern Ireland defense to get a shot away, but to no avail for the Lithuanian
70: Two substitutions from the hosts as George Saville makes way for Corry Evans, and Shane Ferguson goes off in place of Jamal Lewis
71: A powerful shot from Washington on the turn is caught with ease by Setkus
74: It’s the first substitution for Lithuana as Vytas Gaspuitis replaces Martynas Dapkus
78: Third change for Northern Ireland, as Josh Magennis finishes a hard night’s work and comes off for 17 year old Dale Taylor
79: Dale Taylor shows off his technical ability driving into the box and winning a corner down by the byline. The subsequent corner is met at the near post by Washington, but he is unable to trouble the keeper
81: Connor Washington’s close range effort is blocked and goes out for a corner
87: Double change for Lithuania as Megelatis makes way for Armanavicius, and Simkus replaces Verbickas
87: Lithuania finally recieve their first yellow card, as Barauskas goes into the book
88: Conor Washington is replaced by Jordan Jones for Northern Ireland
89: Lithuania take a short corner and it is wasted by Vaitkunas as he blazes well wide of the target
90: There will be a minimum of five minutes of added time
90+1: Paddy McNair hits the deck, and looked in some discomfort, but is back on the field of play
90+3: Lithuania launch the ball into the Northern Ireland box, but it’s cleared for a corner, which is subsequently cleared by Northern Ireland
FT: Northern Ireland 1-0 Lithuania
It’s all over at Windsor Park, and despite a dominant first half from Northern Ireland it’s a Benas Satkus own goal that secures the points for the home side.
The result doesn’t do justice to Northern Ireland’s performance tonight, but they got the win which is all Ian Baraclough will care about.
Thank you for joining me on Overtime for our coverage of tonight’s FIFA World Cup Qualifier.
