Justin Devenny, Shea Charles, and Jamie Reid found the net for Northern Ireland in their match against Luxembourg.
Northern Ireland’s manager, Michael O’Neill, revealed that strong words delivered during halftime spurred “the reaction we wanted” from his team, resulting in Thursday’s 3-1 World Cup qualifying victory over Luxembourg.
Jamie Reid opened the scoring early after Isaac Price’s penalty was saved, but Aiman Dardari equalized for Luxembourg around the half-hour mark.
Shea Charles swiftly reclaimed the lead for Northern Ireland just 25 seconds into the second half, and Justin Devenny sealed the win shortly after Seid Korac’s dismissal for the home side.
“I felt we had a strong start, pressing forward effectively, and the penalty was certainly beneficial,” O’Neill commented to BBC Sport NI.
“However, we seemed to lose momentum after the goal, allowing them back into the game, and their goal felt inevitable. We needed to address certain aspects at halftime, and we successfully elicited the desired response.”
Defender Conor Bradley mentioned that O’Neill “had a little bit of a go” at the team during the interval.
O’Neill expressed his satisfaction with the team’s resilience, acknowledging the assistance they received.
“The red card certainly played a role, but I believe the decision was justified,” O’Neill stated. “Overall, I’m delighted with the 3-1 victory.”
Northern Ireland Secures Away Win Against 10-Man Luxembourg
Luxembourg 1-3 Northern Ireland: Player Ratings – Who Impressed?
Following Slovakia’s surprising 2-0 victory over Germany, Northern Ireland now leads the group. O’Neill particularly praised Devenny, who played as a left wing-back despite primarily being a midfielder.
After hitting the crossbar in first-half stoppage time, the 21-year-old scored his first international goal, weeks after converting the decisive penalty in Crystal Palace’s Community Shield shootout win against Liverpool.
“That position has been a challenge for us,” O’Neill admitted.
“It’s not Justin’s natural role, but he possesses the necessary attributes. He’s athletically and technically gifted.
“Defensive positioning can be tricky for him at times, but overall, he’s an excellent footballer, contributing not only with the goal but also with his deliveries.
“We haven’t had a left-footed player like that since Brunty [Chris Brunt], so it’s great to have found him.”