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30

2019 Northern Ireland Defeat Czech

16th,

October Republic To Secure First Away Friendly

| Win In 13 Years
EXAMINER

IRISH

orthern Ireland achieved what then Stuart Dallas. blocks to frustrate their hosts.
England could not as they beat the And when they gifted Northern Ireland a cor- As the game moved into stoppage time,
NCzech Republic 3-2 in Prague on ner, they found themselves 2-0 down. McGovern gathered Kral’s header on the line
Monday but they had to cling on as the McNair’s delivery caused chaos in the Czech before being bundled over it in a minor melee,
hosts threatened to come back from three Republic box. Flanagan’s effort was blocked but but the referee quickly intervened and Northern
goals down. the ball fell for Evans who fired into the roof of Ireland’s victory was safe. C
The Green and White Army’s first friendly vic- the net.
tory away from home in 13 years was a dramatic Seconds later Whyte met a fine ball from PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE
one as Paddy McNair’s brace, either side of a Jordan Thompson but was denied from close
Jonny Evans strike, had them in charge before range. Team P 8 W D L 0 F 20 A GD Pts.
Liverpool
6
0
14
8
24
Vladimir Darida and Alex Kral struck two in two The hosts were on the ropes but responded Manchester City 8 5 1 2 27 9 18 16
minutes to set up a nervy finish. with their best chance of the half, Kral pulling the Arsenal 8 4 3 1 13 11 2 15
Michael O’Neill’s side hung on, though, to put ball back for Michael Krmencik, though his first- Leicester City 8 4 2 2 14 7 7 14
the heartbreak of Thursday’s late defeat to time shot span just wide of the post. Chelsea 8 4 2 2 18 14 4 14
Holland behind them and poop the party of the And it was only a temporary reprieve as Crystal Palace 8 8 4 3 2 3 2 2 8 11 8 9 0 2 14
12
Burnley
Czechs, 2-1 winners over England on Friday. McNair struck a third five minutes before the end West Ham United 8 3 3 2 11 11 0 12
It was Northern Ireland’s first friendly win on of the half. Tottenham 8 3 2 3 14 12 2 11
the road since they beat Finland in 2006, a run of Steven Davis spotted his run and played the AFC Bournemouth 8 3 2 3 13 13 0 11
22 games in which they had scored only two ball from well inside his own half, and the Wolves 8 2 2 4 3 2 3 11 11 0 1 10 9
8
9
Manchester United 8
goals. Sunderland man outsprinted Josef Husbauer and Sheffield United 8 2 3 3 7 7 0 9
O’Neill made clear his intention to mix things Ondrej Kudela before rounding Pavlenka and Brighton 8 2 3 3 8 10 -2 9
up after back-to-back qualifying defeats as he slotting home. Aston Villa 8 2 2 4 13 12 1 8
turned to a 3-5-2 formation, with Tom Flanagan Silhavy had seen enough and made four Newcastle United 8 8 2 2 2 1 4 5 5 8 13 -8 8 7
Southampton
15
-7
joining Evans and Craig Cathcart in defense, changes at half-time and it worked as the game Everton 8 2 1 5 6 13 -7 7
while Liam Boyce and Gavin Whyte spearheaded completely changed with Northern Ireland Norwich City 8 2 0 6 10 21 -11 6
the attack. pegged back for long periods. Watford 8 0 3 5 4 20 -16 3
It looked the perfect decision as Northern Michael McGovern needed two attempts to
Ireland waltzed through the first half with 45 min- gather Ladislav Krejci’s shot before the goalkeep- PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
utes of almost complete dominance. er came charging off his line in pursuit of a deep
McNair started it in the ninth minute, charging ball, missed it, and was grateful to see Husbauer’s Saturday October 19th
on to Boyce’s low cross and skipping past a lobbed effort go wide as he picked Evans up off Aston Villa v Brighton & Hove Albion (10am)
defender before striking across Jiri Pavlenka. the floor. AFC Bournemouth v Norwich City (10am)
Chelsea v Newcastle United (10am)
Czech coach Jaroslav Silhavy had made sweep- But they were back in it the 67th minute when Crystal Palace v Manchester City (12.30pm)
ing changes to his side, retaining only Kral from Darida’s rising shot through a crowded box was Everton v West Ham United (7.30am)
Friday’s starting XI, and it showed in a disjointed too hot for McGovern. Leicester City v Burnley (10am)
performance. And before Northern Ireland could draw Tottenham Hotspur v Watford (10am)
They played into the hands of the high press breath, Kral strode forward and hit a second into Wolverhampton Wanderers v Southampton (10am)
Sunday October 20th
Northern Ireland used to disrupt Holland last the bottom left corner of the net. Manchester United v Liverpool (11.30am)
week as they tried to pass out from the back, with That set up a nervy finish as Northern Ireland Monday October 21st
wayward balls almost playing in first Boyce and put their bodies on the line, making a series of Sheffield United v Arsenal (3pm)