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Northern Ireland 2-0 Luxembourg (Result) Mc Nair gives hosts 10th-minute lead Ballard flicks in to double advantage six minutes later Jonathan Bradley and Jana Mc Cabe HT: Northern Ireland 2-0 Luxembourg Well, you know what they say about statistics. Interesting to note that Northern Ireland have had only 42% of the possession in that first half. Luxembourg completed considerably more passes too. That said NI's six attempts, three of which were on target and two produced goals, are probably a more accurate reflection of how that half has gone. HT: Northern Ireland 2-0 Luxembourg Stephen Craigan Former Northern Ireland defender on BBC Radio Ulster It's everything we would have wanted with the performance. I think Northern Ireland were aggressive in the first 25 minutes. What I would say is they have kind of sat off the game a little bit the longer the first half has gone on. Michael O'Neill will be asking the players at half-time to get back on the front foot. Northern Ireland 2-0 Luxembourg Stunning - and the sunset isn't bad either! Okay, describing Northern Ireland's opening 45 minutes as stunning may be pushing it, but it was very good. Luxembourg are a better team than many have given credit for, and Northern Ireland are playing them off the park. Michael O'Neill had talked about finding a way to defeat the teams you are expected to, and it's going to plan so far. Northern Ireland 2-0 Luxembourg With all due respect to those nine minutes when they played well enough to score twice against Kosovo. .. that will go down as Northern Ireland's best period in the Nations League. Slim pickings we hear you say. Well, yes, but it's been another encouraging showing to go along with good friendly performances earlier this year. Northern Ireland 2-0 Luxembourg Dirk Carlson will say he knew exactly what he was doing but the defender's heart must have been in his mouth there, his header back to his keeper nearly intercepted by Dion Charles. Right up the other end, Norther Ireland have their own defensive lapse but Eric Veiga lobs the ball over the bar. Luxembourg's best chance of the opening half. Northern Ireland 2-0 Luxembourg And for all that possession, as soon as Luxembourg lose the ball Conor Bradley is away in a flash. He turns inside his man to get into the area and flashes a deflected shot wide. From the resulting corner, the ball is only half cleared to skipper Trai Hume who isn't far away either with a curling effort from the edge of the box. Northern Ireland 2-0 Luxembourg Something of a lull in proceedings as we approach half-time. Another period of Luxembourg possession but with very little threat. Northern Ireland 2-0 Luxembourg Dan Ballard celebrates scoring Northern Ireland's second goal against Luxembourg Northern Ireland 2-0 Luxembourg While it was Bradley who gave the ball away in the passage of play before, the young star shows the other side of his game isn't too shabby either, getting up and powering a defensive header away from his goal. Northern Ireland 2-0 Luxembourg Stephen Craigan Former Northern Ireland defender on BBC Radio Ulster I think it's important although they're 2-0 up and half an hour is gone [Northern Ireland] don't rest on their laurels, don't sit off the game and relax. Northern Ireland 2-0 Luxembourg Some lovely play from NI as Ballard charges forward and Isaac Price flicks a delicate pass into Conor Bradley's path. Luxembourg scramble it away for a corner just as the Liverpool man looks to square it across the box. You can certainly see the confidence among the home players now. Northern Ireland 2-0 Luxembourg Joy for Paddy Mc Nair after putting Northern Ireland in front at Windsor Park Northern Ireland 2-0 Luxembourg Stephen Craigan Former Northern Ireland defender on BBC Radio Ulster It's hard not to look at Conor Bradley and for someone so young to have his desire that he has within the game. He's not an arrogant person, but I think he's arrogant on the football pitch because he knows he's good and I think that shines through. Northern Ireland 2-0 Luxembourg Luxembourg enjoying their first meaningful possession of the game, moving it sharply enough in midfield. Northern Ireland look well organised though, dealing with any danger when the visitors look for the more penetrative pass. Northern Ireland 2-0 Luxembourg With Josh Magennis' 11 international strikes the most of any player in the NI squad, there is often concern about where the goals will come from for Michael O'Neill's side. Well, in this quick start it's been from the unusual source of his two centre-backs. That said, Mc Nair is now on seven international goals, ranking only behind Magennis in the current panel. Northern Ireland 2-0 Luxembourg Andy Gray BBC Sport NI at Windsor Park The Northern Ireland fans are chanting 'it's just like watching Brazil'. It isn't always this good. That now has more relevance after Jamal Lewis' loan move to Sao Paulo from Newcastle United. He only flew into the camp yesterday from signing for the Brazilian giants and is on the bench for today's game. Northern Ireland 2-0 Luxembourg Stephen Craigan Former Northern Ireland defender on BBC Radio Ulster We thought it was the ideal start getting the early goal, well this is the perfect start after 16 minutes! Dan Ballard - 16mins What a start from Northern Ireland! Another set-piece, another goal. Bradley wins a free-kick on the edge of the box and George Saville rolls in a well disguised pass for Dan Ballard who finishes smartly at the front post. The Sunderland man scored against Spain in the June window and is a real threat in these situations. .. admittedly usually with his head, not his feet! Northern Ireland Northern Ireland 1-0 Luxembourg Stephen Craigan Former Northern Ireland defender on BBC Radio Ulster Northern Ireland have started well and have been aggressive. It's everything we would have wanted and asked for. Northern Ireland 1-0 Luxembourg Andy Gray BBC Sport NI at Windsor Park Luxembroug have failed to deal with pretty much every delivery so far and Paddy Mc Nair finally punishes them. He's serenaded by the Green and White Army with 'We've got Mc Nair, Paddy Mc Nair'. That's the perfect start for Michael O'Neill's side. After scoring against Spain in June, Dan Ballard netted Northern Ireland's second goal against Luxembourg Northern Ireland opened their Nations League campaign with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Luxembourg at Windsor Park in Group C3. Paddy Mc Nair gave Northern Ireland the lead in the 11th minute when he poked home from a corner. Dan Ballard doubled the advantage five minutes later when the defender flicked home George Saville's low free-kick. Northern Ireland could not add to their tally in the second half but were rarely troubled by the visitors. The victory is Michael O'Neill's first in the Nations League, and only Northern Ireland's second win in 17 matches in the competition. It is also a fourth win in six matches as O'Neill's youthful squad continue to develop in his second stint as manager. Nations League - Ballard doubles Northern Ireland's lead over Luxembourg Nations League: Poland net stoppage-time penalty to defeat Scotland In a first home fixture since November's win over Denmark, O'Neill's side continued their good recent form in front of a packed Windsor Park. Led out by 22-year-old Sunderland defender Trai Hume, who was captaining his country for the first time after the international retirement of Jonny Evans, the hosts made a bright start as the sun set in a crisp and cool Belfast. Forwards Callum Marshall and Dion Charles spurned half chances, both of which came from set plays, before Mc Nair finally punished Luxembourg for failing to deal with deliveries into the box. Ciaron Brown launched a long throw into the area, which the visitors failed to clear and Mc Nair kept his cool to take a touch and poke the ball into the bottom corner. A good start swiftly became a great one when Sunderland defender Ballard made it two in the 17th minute after Conor Bradley was fouled just outside the penalty area. Just like he did against Spain in June, Ballard got himself on the scoresheet from a free-kick when he got in front of his marker to flick home Saville's low free-kick. After a lull in the action, Bradley almost grabbed a superb solo goal at the end of the half but Christopher Martins put in a strong clearance to deny the Liverpool defender. Captain Hume went even closer when Luxembourg only cleared to the edge of the area and the Sunderland man curled an effort off the outside of the post. Luxembourg's only meaningful attack came in additional time when Leandro Barreiro poked over the bar as he raced on to a long ball. Paddy Mc Nair opened the scoring with a neat finish for his first international goal in two years Northern Ireland almost made a blistering start to the second half as Bradley and Hume linked up, and the latter's ball found Isaac Price in space in the area but he could only fire wide. Hume then went close as he volleyed wide from the edge of the area before the game sank into a procession once more. Bradley had a glorious chance to add a third but he sent his effort wide after charging clear on goal. Saville and Ballard almost repeated their link-up for the first-half goal when the midfielder's free-kick was headed narrowly wide by the latter. A defensive mix-up between goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell and Mc Nair almost allowed Mathias Olesen a clear attempt on goal, and, in injury-time, substitute Ross Mc Causland was twice superbly denied by goalkeeper Anthony Moris. Aside from the brief confusion in defence, Northern Ireland were able to see the game out untroubled to get their Nations League campaign off to a perfect start with three points and a clean sheet. Northern Ireland travel to Bulgaria on Sunday in a bid to continue their strong start. Bulgaria, who had Filip Krastev sent off in the second half, were held to a goalless draw away to Belarus. Comments can not be loaded To load Comments you need to enable Java Script in your browser Last Updated 5th September 2024 at 21: 47 Please Note: All times UK. Tables are subject to change. The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be made. Manager: Michael O'Neill Formation: 3 - 4 - 3 Manager: Luc Holtz Formation: 4 - 4 - 2 To watch and listen, you need to enable Java Script in your browser. Listen: Sportsound - Northern Ireland v Luxembourg. BBC Radio Ulster. Audio Listen: Sportsound - Northern Ireland v Luxembourg BBC Radio Ulster UEFA Nations League All competitions All competitions All competitions Northern Ireland have won three of their five games against Luxembourg (D1 L1), winning 3-1 in a friendly in March 2022 in the most recent meeting. Luxembourg haven’t lost a competitive encounter with Northern Ireland, winning and drawing in two World Cup qualifiers in 2012 and 2013. They are one of only six nations they’ve faced more than once in competitive games and not lost against. Northern Ireland have won three of their last five games (D1 L1), as many as they did in their previous 16 games combined (W3 D2 L11). They are looking to win consecutive matches for the first time since September 2021. Luxembourg have lost their last two matches, losing to France and Belgium in friendlies in June. They haven’t lost three in a row since March 2022, which included a defeat to Northern Ireland. Among all nations to have featured in the UEFA Nations League, only Iceland and San Marino (0 each) have won fewer games than Northern Ireland (P16 W1), while only Lithuania (13) and San Marino (12) have lost more games than Norn Iron (11). Luxembourg have only lost two of their last 15 matches against nations ranked outside the top-50 of the FIFA Rankings at the time of the game (W9 D4), losing to Malta in June 2023 (ranked 172) and Georgia in March 2024 (ranked 77). Conor Bradley scored both of Northern Ireland’s goals in their 2-0 win over Andorra in June. At the age of 20 years and 338 days, he was the youngest player to net two goals in a game for the Norn Iron since Kyle Lafferty vs Georgia in March 2008 (20 years, 192 days). Both Conor Bradley and Shea Charles have won 17 caps for Northern Ireland. Though Bradley turned 21 in July, Charles doesn’t turn 21 until November, with only Norman Whiteside ever winning more caps for Norn Iron before the age of 21 (26). © 2024 BBC. 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