Match ends, Northern Ireland 1, Bosnia and Herzegovina 2.
08 Sep 2018
Northern Ireland beaten by Bosnia-Herzegovina in Nations League
Northern Ireland made a disapppointing start to their inaugural Nations League campaign as they lost 2-1 to Bosnia-Herzegovina at Windsor Park.
The hosts dominated but fell behind to Haris Duljevic's 36th-minute close-range flick from Edin Dzeko's cross.
Elvis Saric slotted into the empty net after a mix-up between defender Craig Cathcart and goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell on 64 minutes.
Substitute Will Grigg hooked in a consolation goal in injury-time.
Northern Ireland were on top for large periods of the game, orchestrating wave after wave of attacks, but passed up a series of goalscoring opportunities and it was the visitors who proved more clinical.
The defeat deals a major blow to NI's hopes of success in the new competition which aims to eliminate the number of friendlies played in favour of more competitive games.
Bosnia-Herzegovina host Austria in their next fixture in Group B3, while NI manager Michael O'Neill is expected to take advantage of the opportunity for some experimentation when his side face Israel in Belfast on Tuesday.
The men in green then face a difficult double-header away to Austria and Bosnia-Herzegovina in mid-October, before a friendly with the Republic of Ireland and then their final Nations League match at home to Austria in November.
More to follow.
- Line-ups
- Match Stats
- Live Text
Line-ups
Northern Ireland
- 1Peacock-Farrell
- 2McLaughlinSubstituted forBoyceat 70'minutes
- 20Cathcart
- 5Evans
- 3Lewis
- 8Davis
- 16Norwood
- 6Saville
- 7McGinnSubstituted forWardat 76'minutes
- 10LaffertySubstituted forGriggat 69'minutes
- 14Dallas
Substitutes
- 4Smith
- 9Washington
- 11Ferguson
- 12Carson
- 13Evans
- 15Jones
- 17McNair
- 18Boyce
- 19Ward
- 21Whyte
- 22Grigg
- 23McGovern
Bos-Herze
- 12SehicBooked at 83mins
- 7Besic
- 15Sunjic
- 17Zukanovic
- 2CivicBooked at 10minsSubstituted forZakaricat 76'minutes
- 21SaricSubstituted forKrunicat 67'minutes
- 13Cimirot
- 10PjanicBooked at 30minsSubstituted forBajicat 83'minutes
- 8Visca
- 11DzekoBooked at 51mins
- 9Duljevic
Substitutes
- 1Kjosevski
- 5Nastic
- 14Prcic
- 16Bajic
- 18Kodro
- 19Krunic
- 20Zakaric
- 22Piric
- 23Milosevic
- Referee:
- Pavel Kralovec
Match Stats
Home TeamNorthern IrelandAway TeamBos-Herze
- Possession
- Home68%
- Away32%
- Shots
- Home26
- Away5
- Shots on Target
- Home8
- Away3
- Corners
- Home18
- Away1
- Fouls
- Home12
- Away15
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Northern Ireland 1, Bosnia and Herzegovina 2.
Corner, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Conceded by Craig Cathcart.
Attempt saved. Jamal Lewis (Northern Ireland) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Steven Davis with a cross.
Corner, Northern Ireland. Conceded by Edin Dzeko.
Goal!
Goal! Northern Ireland 1, Bosnia and Herzegovina 2. William Grigg (Northern Ireland) right footed shot from very close range to the top right corner. Assisted by Liam Boyce following a corner.
Corner, Northern Ireland. Conceded by Gojko Cimirot.
Attempt missed. William Grigg (Northern Ireland) right footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Stuart Dallas with a cross.
George Saville (Northern Ireland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Rade Krunic (Bosnia and Herzegovina).
Attempt blocked. Steven Davis (Northern Ireland) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Corner, Northern Ireland. Conceded by Rijad Bajic.
Attempt blocked. William Grigg (Northern Ireland) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Liam Boyce with a headed pass.
Corner, Northern Ireland. Conceded by Ervin Zukanovic.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Ibrahim Sehic (Bosnia and Herzegovina) because of an injury.
Foul by George Saville (Northern Ireland).
Ibrahim Sehic (Bosnia and Herzegovina) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner, Northern Ireland. Conceded by Ervin Zukanovic.
Attempt saved. Liam Boyce (Northern Ireland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Attempt blocked. Oliver Norwood (Northern Ireland) right footed shot from more than 35 yards is blocked.
Attempt blocked. George Saville (Northern Ireland) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Liam Boyce with a headed pass.
Substitution
Substitution, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Rijad Bajic replaces Miralem Pjanic.
Booking
Ibrahim Sehic (Bosnia and Herzegovina) is shown the yellow card.
Foul by Craig Cathcart (Northern Ireland).
Ibrahim Sehic (Bosnia and Herzegovina) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner, Northern Ireland. Conceded by Goran Zakaric.
Substitution
Substitution, Northern Ireland. Jamie Ward replaces Niall McGinn.
Substitution
Substitution, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Goran Zakaric replaces Eldar Civic.
Haris Duljevic (Bosnia and Herzegovina) hits the right post with a right footed shot from the left side of the box. Assisted by Edin Visca.
Attempt blocked. Stuart Dallas (Northern Ireland) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Oliver Norwood.
Corner, Northern Ireland. Conceded by Muhamed Besic.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Haris Duljevic (Bosnia and Herzegovina) because of an injury.
Corner, Northern Ireland. Conceded by Rade Krunic.
Substitution
Substitution, Northern Ireland. Liam Boyce replaces Conor McLaughlin.
Substitution
Substitution, Northern Ireland. William Grigg replaces Kyle Lafferty.
Stuart Dallas (Northern Ireland) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Muhamed Besic (Bosnia and Herzegovina).
Substitution
Substitution, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Rade Krunic replaces Elvis Saric.
Promo & Recommendations
