:00:34. > :00:40.Welcome to Windsor Park for a World Cup qualifier. It is Northern
:00:40. > :00:44.Ireland against Azerbaijan. Good evening. It is the 7th game in
:00:44. > :00:48.charge for Michael O'Neill and he is still without a victory. Three
:00:48. > :00:52.debates and three draws but three points are essential tonight if he
:00:52. > :01:02.is to keep Northern Ireland's World Cup qualifying dream alive after an
:01:02. > :01:05.
:01:05. > :01:08.eventful campaign so far. It could be a great ball. It is a 1-0.
:01:08. > :01:15.obviously had the disappointment of Luxembourg where we were
:01:15. > :01:19.unfortunate on the night. We lost a very poor goal early in the game.
:01:20. > :01:23.The nature of the goal that we lost, the game should have been won. When
:01:23. > :01:27.the gains came together -- when the players came together for Portugal
:01:27. > :01:30.they were very positive and it was a great performance. They were very
:01:30. > :01:34.positive in their approach and preparation for the game. We have
:01:34. > :01:37.seen that again in the approach of this game. They are an unknown
:01:37. > :01:41.quantity but they have had a difficult start to the group as
:01:42. > :01:47.well. They have been in Moscow and Portugal like we were and they were
:01:47. > :01:51.very unlucky to lose in Moscow 1-0. That tells you what kind of team
:01:51. > :01:55.they will be, they will be well organised and make it difficult for
:01:55. > :01:58.us. We will have to put on a performance like we did in Portugal,
:01:58. > :02:02.the level of the performance and the discipline and the character
:02:02. > :02:11.that we showed, albeit we expect to have a more attacking approach that
:02:12. > :02:16.we would have had their. We have to be at our best to win the game.
:02:16. > :02:22.win tonight would go a long way to keep Northern Ireland in contention
:02:22. > :02:24.in Group F. Russia are in pole position but three points tonight
:02:24. > :02:31.and Northern Ireland could finish this Kahlon the year just two
:02:31. > :02:36.points behind second-placed Israel and Portugal. With me tonight is
:02:36. > :02:41.the former Northern Ireland captain, can Michael O'Neill get the win he
:02:41. > :02:45.is so desperately looking for? he can. It is a great night for
:02:45. > :02:48.football and the pictures in great condition. It is nice and slick and
:02:48. > :02:52.players will love playing on it. It is important that they start
:02:52. > :02:56.quickly and there has to be intensity in their play. When they
:02:56. > :03:01.create their chances that I know they will tonight they have to be
:03:01. > :03:03.clinical in front of goal. They have to capitalise on the great
:03:03. > :03:08.performance at Portugal and confidence will be sky high. There
:03:08. > :03:14.is no reason why they will not be celebrating tonight. Azerbaijan are
:03:14. > :03:18.not to be underestimated. They are managed by a manager that one Euro
:03:18. > :03:21.96. They will be hard to beat. There is a great work ethic in the
:03:21. > :03:28.team. They will be organised and disciplined and have quality in
:03:28. > :03:33.their side. By no exaggeration of can we underestimate them. But they
:03:33. > :03:36.are poor travellers and they have lost 20 out of 21 qualifying games.
:03:36. > :03:41.He is not going to get a better evening to break that dark. Thank
:03:41. > :03:46.you very much. Northern Ireland haven't won in the last 10 matches
:03:46. > :03:48.but tonight could be the night to change that record, time to join
:03:49. > :03:53.our match commentator Jackie Fullerton.
:03:53. > :03:58.A Northern Ireland team first. Michael O'Neill has had to make
:03:58. > :04:02.four changes from last month's heroic performance in Portugal.
:04:02. > :04:10.Injury rules actually Evans and Ryan McGivern. In comes Gareth
:04:10. > :04:15.McAuley after suspension. Daniel Lafferty is in for late withdrawal
:04:15. > :04:22.McGivern. Shane Ferguson is back after injury on the left flank and
:04:22. > :04:28.Dean Shiels comes in to partner Kyle Lafferty on the attacking
:04:28. > :04:36.formation. Injuries and suspension have also disrupted Azerbaijan's
:04:36. > :04:40.plans. A major blow is the suspension of their experienced
:04:40. > :04:49.goalkeeper. Overall they have a fight changes to the starting 11
:04:49. > :04:54.who were only beaten by a late penalty in Russia last month. They
:04:54. > :05:00.have capable central defenders. I expect them to have five across the
:05:00. > :05:04.midfield and I think Number 11 Aliyev will be the striker. Daniel
:05:04. > :05:08.Lafferty from Burnley, 23-year-old and this is just his second cap and
:05:08. > :05:14.this is his first competitive game in the World Cup. A big night for
:05:14. > :05:19.that young man. Abbey denied for that man as well. Still looking for
:05:19. > :05:28.his first win in the 7th game. He and the fans are hoping it will be
:05:29. > :05:34.lucky number seven. The referee Victor Shvetsov of the Ukraine, a
:05:34. > :05:39.professional referee, it is his 15th international game, set this
:05:39. > :05:45.qualifier in Group F under way. Mike O'Neill said after defeat and
:05:45. > :05:49.two draws it is time to put three two draws it is time to put three
:05:49. > :05:54.points on the board. It's certainly is. No wins in their last 10 games.
:05:54. > :06:00.It is a damp evening at Windsor Park. The picture is quite spongy
:06:00. > :06:10.after their heavy rainfall. A splash there as the defender got it
:06:10. > :06:39.
:06:39. > :06:49.is one of the bridge and men of the goalkeeper that Azerbaijan have had
:06:49. > :06:57.
:06:57. > :07:07.to put in. Expect to see plenty of behind the ball as they are at the
:07:07. > :07:28.
:07:28. > :07:37.goalkeeper was tested. Just dropping behind from the 21-year-
:07:37. > :07:42.old. A lovely dummy from Lafferty there. He sprinted into the middle.
:07:42. > :07:52.The cross ended up, it was just a poor one in the end. A beautiful
:07:52. > :08:25.
:08:25. > :08:28.could have been and should have been 1-0. No. 10 a Kyle Lafferty
:08:28. > :08:34.should have had his 10th international goal. Lovely wing
:08:34. > :08:38.play. It was a Super bore but the finish was pretty poor. That is
:08:38. > :08:48.encouraging for Northern Ireland, despite the finish by Lafferty. He
:08:48. > :08:48.
:08:48. > :09:52.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 63 seconds
:09:52. > :09:55.11, Aliyev. He is the striker by a finish! It is Aliyev. 26th cap
:09:55. > :10:00.tonight and his 5th international goal and that is their first time
:10:00. > :10:06.to score in Belfast. Delight for the travelling fans. Their first
:10:07. > :10:14.time to score away from home in their third game. They lost 3-0 in
:10:14. > :10:20.Portugal and 1-0 in Russia. How is that for a curling finish? Roy
:10:20. > :10:30.Carroll had no chance. Fat is a knife through the heart of Northern
:10:30. > :10:30.
:10:30. > :11:10.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 63 seconds
:11:10. > :11:20.Ireland. He hit it well, straight bare from Michael. But I think the
:11:20. > :11:39.
:11:39. > :11:44.team have up to their game at the goalkeeping. But that was a chance,
:11:44. > :11:50.and we had Lafferty down on the goal a month for -- we have
:11:50. > :11:59.Lafferty down in the goalmouth. The goalkeeper stands over them. He
:12:00. > :12:07.seems to be holding his left knee. It was a good touch, it was not a
:12:07. > :12:11.great touch. He let it go away from him a little bit. Davis, 10 out of
:12:11. > :12:15.10 for the ball but two out of 10 for the touch. The keeper was so
:12:15. > :12:24.brave. If that had been a good touch we would have been one each
:12:24. > :12:34.but it was not to be. He is holding the back of his knee. Is it a calf
:12:34. > :12:45.
:12:45. > :12:55.problem? Concern from Michael the pitch. He is on the right and
:12:55. > :12:55.
:12:55. > :14:05.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 63 seconds
:14:05. > :14:10.from behind. Free kick for Northern Cathcart must have thought he had
:14:10. > :14:15.got his first international goal and he should have. A great ball.
:14:15. > :14:21.Dean Shiels did so well. A clear header but he could not find the
:14:21. > :14:31.target. That is disappointing, not only for him, Craig Cathcart, but
:14:31. > :14:54.
:14:54. > :15:03.for Northern Ireland. There is the was. Well, there he is, he took his
:15:03. > :15:13.chance. It almost paid off, a big deflection year. And it looked up,
:15:13. > :15:13.
:15:13. > :15:54.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 63 seconds
:15:54. > :15:59.second time. That looked like a foul to me. A shake of the head
:15:59. > :16:05.there, let's C. It looked as if he was being held. He made it look a
:16:05. > :16:15.bit dramatic, maybe that is what put the referee against him, but a
:16:15. > :16:39.
:16:39. > :16:45.again, it should have been a goal. It was Daniel Lafferty all the way
:16:45. > :16:51.up from left-back. What a great ball in from Ferguson, and that is
:16:51. > :16:55.a poor finish, you have to save. That could have been Northern
:16:56. > :17:05.Ireland's third goal, a trio of chances from headers, and he is the
:17:06. > :17:21.
:17:21. > :17:25.latest one not to take it. of a to-do there. I think the
:17:25. > :17:31.goalscorer thought that Roy Carroll was trying to hit him with the ball,
:17:31. > :17:36.but he wasn't. So there we are, that is the man, Aliyev, five
:17:36. > :17:41.minutes, he got a cracking goal to silence Windsor Park. Northern
:17:41. > :17:45.Ireland, meanwhile, they have had their chances, three headed chances,
:17:45. > :17:51.Lafferty, Cathcart and just a couple of minutes ago it was Daniel
:17:51. > :17:56.Lafferty. Michael O'Neill will have plenty to say during the half-time
:17:56. > :18:06.cup of tea! At half-time in this World Cup qualifier in Group F,
:18:06. > :18:11.
:18:11. > :18:21.half-time, I would have thought, Berti Vogts. Well won by Aaron
:18:21. > :18:34.
:18:34. > :18:42.feet five inches tall of him, but he was not going to beat the 6 ft 2
:18:42. > :18:52.inches tall Roy Carroll from there. A little bit of holding there,
:18:52. > :19:05.
:19:05. > :19:11.would be just what the doctor ordered. Bolt, it is another chance,
:19:11. > :19:15.it is Cathcart again, this time with his right foot, a golden
:19:15. > :19:19.opportunity, and Northern Ireland really cannot keep doing this.
:19:19. > :19:27.Wonderfully well won in the air by McAuley, the volley from Cathcart,
:19:27. > :19:37.oh, dear! Good chest, awful finish, great disappointment for the man
:19:37. > :19:51.
:19:52. > :20:01.because they know that Northern Ireland should be in front and out
:20:02. > :20:15.
:20:15. > :20:19.of sight, really, but they feel it Chris Baird will not get his first
:20:19. > :20:29.international goal with that finish. But it has the crowd are on their
:20:29. > :20:33.
:20:33. > :20:43.feet here, good run from Lafferty, defender into giving away the
:20:43. > :21:17.
:21:17. > :21:27.Dean Shiels did not have a chance as Ferguson, who need support and
:21:27. > :21:33.
:21:33. > :21:40.Kyle Lafferty, that is a booking. He will miss the game against
:21:40. > :21:45.Russia here in March. That is tragic news. Now, let's see what
:21:45. > :21:51.happened here. He went to ground himself. Maybe he felt he was being
:21:51. > :21:57.held initially. Yes, just there, but that is not enough to get a
:21:57. > :22:07.penalty. And he should have known that, and then the dramatic fall,
:22:07. > :22:20.
:22:20. > :22:28.to repay the boss is to score a couple of goals to win the game. --
:22:28. > :22:35.so all. It was Ozkara who got three, all the way through, but the big
:22:35. > :22:45.man from an ANPR cars in Greece these days was there. -- and in the
:22:45. > :22:54.
:22:54. > :22:59.the Faroe Islands, both at this end, out of luck that time. -- the man
:23:00. > :23:09.who got. But at least he has given us a glimmer, lovely skill, finds
:23:10. > :23:10.
:23:10. > :23:50.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 63 seconds
:23:50. > :23:55.Lafferty, and he hears again. -- dear, dear! Chris Baird, the
:23:56. > :24:00.manager cannot believe it, I cannot believe it, he cannot believe it!
:24:00. > :24:05.How many chances are Northern Ireland going to miss?! This is
:24:05. > :24:11.unbelievable! I have been doing this job for many years, and I have
:24:11. > :24:21.not seen a night like this. Just begging to be put in, and it wasn't.
:24:21. > :24:39.
:24:39. > :24:45.his 40th cap. And it is Niall Brom, and yet he has never reached
:24:45. > :24:55.those same heights in a green shirt. Maybe tonight, when it is needed,
:24:55. > :25:19.
:25:19. > :25:24.will be denied. -- will be the But he is creating problems! And
:25:24. > :25:29.that is why he was brought into the fray. He just drifts away from
:25:29. > :25:39.players, and that was drifting high and very wide, sadly, for Northern
:25:39. > :26:09.
:26:09. > :26:14.again, the chance goes begging. I make that seven. Chris Baird, his
:26:14. > :26:20.second of the night, he cannot believe it, Michael O'Neill, well,
:26:20. > :26:30.he is stunned on the bench, the manager. What a great chance! This
:26:30. > :26:30.
:26:30. > :27:17.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 63 seconds
:27:17. > :27:22.but it is not a way yet. It is like disappointingly, but there, just in
:27:22. > :27:27.that split second, great skill from Pat McCourt. This is what he is
:27:27. > :27:37.capable of, past the defender, then that one, look at those quick feet.
:27:37. > :27:46.
:27:46. > :27:56.To be fair, Azerbaijan were there Chris Baird is also out of the game
:27:56. > :28:07.
:28:07. > :28:13.David Healy. Craig Cathcart is the man coming off. So it is a defender,
:28:13. > :28:23.off, a striker coming on, and just listen to the cheer for David Healy,
:28:23. > :28:52.
:28:52. > :28:57.35 international goals, by a long did not give enough. That about
:28:57. > :29:02.sums up how things have gone for Northern Ireland this evening. The
:29:02. > :29:12.won wit, hit at first time. The idea was right, the finish just
:29:12. > :29:40.
:29:40. > :29:45.a wee bit too much. But then, when you're not used to winning away
:29:45. > :29:50.games, you can understand they would be slightly delirious at this
:29:51. > :29:55.point. They will know, or Berti Vogts will know, they could have
:29:55. > :30:05.been beaten out of sight tonight and they should have been. But that
:30:05. > :30:11.is football, isn't it? The heroics of Portugal of last month, that
:30:11. > :30:15.will be forgotten in the midst of all of this tonight. Immense
:30:15. > :30:22.disappointment. A free kick at a very dangerous position for
:30:22. > :30:32.Northern Ireland. We are almost five minutes into the six minutes
:30:32. > :31:02.
:31:02. > :31:10.added. I think there will be some has been salvaged by the main man.
:31:11. > :31:16.After four years and one month, David Healy has ended his drought.
:31:16. > :31:20.San Marino way back in October to an -- San Marino way back in 2008
:31:20. > :31:26.was his last goal at how with that for a finish? He has not finished
:31:26. > :31:33.yet! His 94th appearance. He has not been on long but he has made
:31:33. > :31:42.his presence felt right at that moment. 1-1. Delight, but overall
:31:42. > :31:47.the delight will be tempered with the result, perhaps. And that is it.
:31:47. > :31:51.That will be a night to remember for all the wrong reasons for my
:31:51. > :31:55.colonial and Northern Ireland. Berti Vogts, I think he will know,
:31:55. > :32:01.as the football man he is, that that could have been a real
:32:01. > :32:08.hammering for his side. But we will all remember something like eight
:32:08. > :32:11.golden chances were spurned. It could have been 8-1 here tonight,
:32:11. > :32:17.9-1. It has finished, sadly, disappointingly for Northern
:32:17. > :32:24.Ireland, they draw in this group. Three points from 12 is a meagre
:32:24. > :32:26.return. It has finished 1-1. return. It has finished 1-1.
:32:26. > :32:30.It was a very frustrating night, a frustrating night for the players.
:32:30. > :32:34.We knew if we got balls and the box we would cause them problems and we
:32:34. > :32:38.did that all night. We have people on the end of the more numerous
:32:38. > :32:42.occasions but it was one of those nights where did not seem to go for
:32:42. > :32:46.us. But to be fair to the character of the players they went right to
:32:46. > :32:49.the 96th minute and we popped up with a in equaliser right at the
:32:49. > :32:53.end. We just ran out of time at the end up because from the moment that
:32:53. > :32:57.they scored be dominated the game and we should have won it. Do you
:32:57. > :33:02.think there will be more pressure on you now? You must now be looking
:33:02. > :33:06.to the next campaign. At the end of the day it depends what you feel as
:33:06. > :33:09.pressure. The most pressure comes from myself because I want to do
:33:09. > :33:13.well here as a manager and I want the players to do well. Other
:33:13. > :33:17.people's opinions is other people's opinions. We have a number of
:33:17. > :33:22.younger players that may need this campaign to find their feet at this
:33:22. > :33:27.level. One of those nights. We had a lot of chances. I think the
:33:27. > :33:31.keeper did not have many saves to make but we missed the target a lot.
:33:31. > :33:35.We tried hard after letting the goal in early on. If you cannot
:33:35. > :33:40.finish then you cannot win these games. That is all it is. You can't
:33:40. > :33:44.learn any more. If you can't score goals you can't win games. I have
:33:44. > :33:49.played a lot of games and seen a lot of highs and lows but this was
:33:49. > :33:54.a game where you cannot fault the effort from any of the players. It
:33:54. > :33:59.was a disappointing night but we knew it would be hard game and
:33:59. > :34:05.Michael put that to us as soon as we arrived on Sunday. They fancied
:34:05. > :34:09.their chances here and when you go 1-0 down to a quality striker like
:34:09. > :34:16.we did we were always chasing their tails. We did have our chances and
:34:16. > :34:19.credit to the lads who got in those positions but we will all go home
:34:19. > :34:25.frustrated because we did have enough chances but I think you
:34:25. > :34:28.cannot fault the effort of the players. After the performance last
:34:28. > :34:35.month where we defended really well we played good football tonight but
:34:35. > :34:40.it never went into the back of the net for us. Berti Vogts said he had
:34:40. > :34:45.some sort of exchange of words, what do you say? He apologised for
:34:45. > :34:49.the behaviour of his players. you mean time-wasting? In general,
:34:49. > :34:53.the number of times they were on the field and everything that went
:34:53. > :34:57.along with it. The referee should have handled it much better but at
:34:57. > :35:01.least he had the decency to apologise for that. There is how
:35:01. > :35:06.the group table looks. Northern Ireland are nine points behind the
:35:06. > :35:12.leaders, Russia. They face an upward struggle to try and qualify
:35:12. > :35:16.with big games against Russia, Israel and Portugal still to come.
:35:16. > :35:20.Jim, is that a night that Northern Ireland will feel relieved to get a
:35:20. > :35:25.draw disappointed they did not get a win? Really disappointed. It was
:35:25. > :35:30.a night of real frustration. I have never been in a game where a team
:35:31. > :35:35.created so many chances. They will feel aggrieved. A point was the
:35:35. > :35:41.very least they deserved. Have they been clinical in front of the goal
:35:41. > :35:46.they would have won it five or six. Let us talk about the Azerbaijan
:35:46. > :35:52.goal first. It was a brilliant strike. It was. It came early doors
:35:52. > :35:55.as well. We knew that they had players of that quality soap
:35:55. > :36:00.Northern Ireland responded very quickly, very well and created a
:36:00. > :36:04.succession of chances in the first half. How did all the Ilan not put
:36:04. > :36:09.the ball in the back of the net in the first half? Kyle Lafferty at
:36:09. > :36:18.some golden opportunities. Yes, the best chance came when Steven Davis
:36:18. > :36:22.gave him a fabulous ball. There were so many chances. Craig
:36:22. > :36:26.Cathcart had a great chance with a header. If one goes in it follows
:36:26. > :36:32.four or five, it was just that night. You could sense it was going
:36:32. > :36:35.to take something different for Michael making a very good
:36:35. > :36:39.substitution in our friend David Healy. It was just tonight where
:36:39. > :36:42.had they scored one, you felt the floodgates would have opened.
:36:42. > :36:46.just felt that it was not going to be Northern Ireland's night
:36:46. > :36:50.especially as the second half continued and created chance after
:36:50. > :36:55.chance. The substitutions were positive. Paddy came on and created
:36:55. > :36:59.a real difference, gave you something different. He was unlucky
:36:59. > :37:03.with his little opportunity, when he hits one from the edge of the
:37:03. > :37:08.box. I just felt, watching the game, I always felt they were going to
:37:08. > :37:12.score a goal, I always had that feeling that obviously it saddens
:37:12. > :37:16.us all that they did not get three points. I have to say they played
:37:16. > :37:21.you that you called it at half-time. You said it could be a night for
:37:21. > :37:27.David Healy and it was. Yes, it was just that he is the one person in
:37:27. > :37:31.the team where if a chance falls to anyone in the box, he is the one
:37:31. > :37:35.that you feel it is going to land it. He feared he have the quality
:37:35. > :37:41.to convert. OK, it was a free kick but as soon as the free kick was
:37:41. > :37:45.awarded, he runs and get the ball because he fancies it and I fancied
:37:45. > :37:50.him. Yellow cards tonight, Chris Baird, Kyle Lafferty will miss the
:37:50. > :37:53.next game, that is a big disappointment. Yes, those are two
:37:53. > :37:58.of the best players. Chris Baird was excellent tonight. They will
:37:58. > :38:02.both be missed. It is a big game. Obviously it will be crucial that
:38:02. > :38:06.they get as many of their top players back in the side.
:38:06. > :38:09.campaign of role now, is surely feels like qualification is not
:38:09. > :38:13.going to happen and Northern Ireland are now playing for pride,
:38:13. > :38:17.is that how you see it? Yes, I do. When the group was announced it was
:38:17. > :38:20.obviously going to be a really tough ask. I think he has been
:38:20. > :38:25.unlucky, tonight especially and Luxembourg are points that they
:38:25. > :38:29.should not have dropped. You look at tonight's game and overall it
:38:29. > :38:32.was a really good performance but they did not convert the chances.
:38:32. > :38:36.We talked about the clinical in front of the goal but sometimes
:38:36. > :38:39.when you are in a reply that it just does not happen to you.
:38:39. > :38:43.disappointing night for Northern Ireland. Michael O'Neill still