Northern Ireland v Russia International Match of the Day

for just over a year-and-a-half, but Michael O'Neill is still without a

win as Northern Ireland manager, and it isn't going to get any easier

tonight, as Fabio Capello's Russia come to Windsor Park for a

rearranged World Cup Qualifier. rearranged World Cup Qualifier.

I can't believe it. After three draws and two defeats, Northern

Ireland's hopes of World Cup qualification are over. Manager

Michael O'Neill is without his main attacking threat, and the country's

all-time leading scorer is without a club, so goals are at a premium.

In March, Russia visited Windsor Park, and they brought their

Siberian weather conditions with with them. Five months later, and

they're back, and the weather won't be an excuse if O'Neill fails to

pick up his first win as manager. believe they're the best side in the

group. I think they're one of the top six teams in Europe at the

moment, top players playing in the top clubs, a manager with vast

experience as well, and so yeah, it would be a huge scalp for us to take

a team of this quality. It's not so much just the lack of goals that's

been, I suppose, the disappointing thing. It's more the fact that when

we have been dominant in games and have had chances, we haven't taken

those, and then subsequently we have maybe suffered because of that. And

the captain will want to mark his 60th cap with a positive performance

against a side who are 93 positions above Northern Ireland in the world

rankings. If you looked at the performance

that we have had, we've created a number of chances in each game.

Unfortunately, we haven't taken them, and at this level you get

punished for that as has been proven so far, really, in the games, but

chances may be few and far between because the Russians are well

organised, and gave up too many chances, so if we do get the

opportunity, we'll have to take David Healy tonight, and Martin

Paterson, who scored just one international goal, will lead the

line for Northern Ireland. Russia have trying to go top of Group F.

Northern Ireland are looking for just their third win in 34 matches.

I'll be getting the thoughts of former international Keith galespy

later, but first here's the commentary. Our commentator is

Jacqui Fullerton. It never rains, but it pours. At the

11th hour, Johnny Evans has pulled penetrate on the flanks. As we look

at Russia, there's a certain consistency in Fabio Capello's

consistency in Fabio Capello's selection. It's 4-3-3, and it's

exactly the same 11 who played in their 2-0 win in Moscow last

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referee tonight, a crowd of about 12 or 13,000 here tonight, including

Ferguson, a chance for Northern Ireland in the opening minutes to

put some pressure, but we couldn't get the connection there. Jamie

Ward, a man who started the game in hard to believe he made his debut 16

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Akinfeev. He got two goals, two penalties at the weekend. He scored

both for Aberdeen, and he wasn't so far away. That was a good idea to

hit the differ, but in the end, it wasn't on the target. The idea was

wasn't on the target. The idea was right, though. Well done by young

but the foot was up - from Martin Paterson. It looks like Berezutskiy

- who felt that. He can't believe the decision. "I went for the ball,"

he says. He did, but that was a bit high. And he will know that in his

spell at England - but what a club career he had, Fabio Capello, seven

titles in Italy, two titles, League This is dangerous - great defending.

determination, Northern Ireland. And that's good to see. It's the fourth

home game in this group, two draws, Luxembourg and Azerbaijan. A defeat,

2-0 to Israel in their last game. When I look at those games, we could

have won all three. That would be another six points, and we'd be in

Hughes, who spotted the danger, wasn't a bad ball from Bystrov. He

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was. The flag was up, and Shirokov is having a right go at the

full-back. Great defending there, there. They thought they were in,

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but they weren't. Well done, that brave goal keeping, and it was. And

he just, just got his hands away in time, Roy Carl, good thinking by the

lovely ball - Kerzhakov in there. But the man from Olympiakis did his

But the man from Olympiakis did his job and did it well. Berezutskiy

too was Paterson with the rebound. My goodness. Could well have been a

first international goal for Jamie Ward. They took the free kick

quickly. He is a striker, and my goodness, he struck that. That was

almost in, from the rebound. A lovely hit, keeper beat beaten,

venue alive, about five minutes from halftime. What a lift that would

have been - Michael O'Neill has his head in his hands below me. You lose

Lafferty to injury. You lose Evans, Jonny Evans to illness. If that's

not enough, you make it a hat-trick with that lovely effort from Ward, a

scintillating shot it was, a scorcher. The complete keeper was

beaten, but he did well on the fans come here to see. But they need

does! It's 1-0. Martin Paterson Martin Paterson's second

international goal. Northern Ireland's fourth goal of this

campaign. And he won't know it, but it's a milestone. It's Northern

Ireland's 350th goal at home, in a home international, and just their

375th game since 1882. He'll not worry about the history. That looked

the whistle. It's ever dangerous, and how he climbed, and how he

powered in the header, McGinn, great ball. How is that for a finish? Your

second international goal - the first one was a penalty in a

friendly. That's his first World Cup goal, and is he happy? Oh, yes, he

is. Differing emotions there from 1-0. That man there, his first goal

as a Huddersfield Town player - what it means to him, to this crowd and

to Northern Ireland! Will they salvage some pride at the end of

this evening? There's still 45 minutes to go. At half-time, it's

Cheryshev of Real Madrid, just signed a new four-year contract

there. He's come inin place of Alan Dzagoev, the number ten who has gone

It's a good ball. Northern Ireland deal with it. But no doubt Capello's

men will be putting pressure on right from the beginning of this

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Ireland. But it was a poor ball in the new guy? It is, indeed,

Cheryshev. Doesn't seem to be too happy. A little bit of hamstring

trouble by the looks of things, and that doesn't go away in two minutes,

and his game might be over almost before it started, and I think Gaza

McAuley wasn't taking any prisoners there. Now, he's gone off. Will he

be back on? Here's another, Aleksandr Samedov from Locomotiv

Moscow. He's a midfielder, and the this time. He has been held up. The

Russians play themselves very neatly out of trouble, but they've given it

the Northern Ireland fans in this stadium - that lovely headed goal in

the first half - Cathcart, McAuley up there for this corner - a second

goal now as Ferguson takes it. Didn't get to McAuley. Ferguson will

have another chance. Cathcart is at the back. There's the header. Oh,

the flag is up. It won't count. He got the finish. But he won't get the

not sure he's offside. Cathcart gets that away. That was a header. Yes,

he was offside. When you look at it that way, his foot is over the line.

The red man here is the other side the Russian player. Both have

tumbled. That is a silly thing to he's booked here, and I think that

is him out of the game against Portugal next month. Now, we'll see

off United Kingdom there, a little McAuley is forward. Now, the referee

given it away. And that's where they have to be that bit better, Northern

have to be that bit better, Northern Ireland. They are leading, but

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through. Ignashevich surveys the this second half, the time ticking

away. A brave tackle there of the Northern Ireland skipper, and here

they have a chance of a break. It was just too close to the defender -

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it was Anyukov, in fact, cleared it Number 13 tonight is Corry Evans.

And he's coming on for Niall McGinn, who is getting a rousing reception,

and so he should. He's been busy. He has been industrious, plenty of

running, a great cross in the first half to set up the goal. Now they're

on a break of their own. Paterson on a break of their own. Paterson

moves off left. Doesn't get the free Paterson will come off to a standing

ovation. He has run himself to a standstill. That's what they think

of him, and he deserves every clap that he's getting. The man whose

goal may have won this World Cup qualifier, Martin Paterson. A little

the press, the football wri writers waiting for that whistle. Is it

going to be one of those nights like beating England here, beating Spain

here, beating Spain, beating Denmark? When David Healy was in his

pump - the referee has a look at his watch. It could be one of those

nights. It's going to be the first win in the Group. It's going to be

the first win for Michael O'Neill in his 10th international, the first

win for Northern Ireland for two years, surely, if the referee would

years, surely, if the referee would only blow his whistle. I think

Paterson has just been named Man of the Match, the man who got that

vital and only goal of the game. The referee brings it to an end. Can you

believe it! It is one of those nights! Well done, Michael O'Neill,

10th international, first victory - he'll be overjoyed. Take that! And

world football and European football will be talking about that result.

Northern Ireland, lowly Northern Ireland, Martin Paterson's goal

beating ing a bunch of fancy, highly-rated Russians. It doesn't

get much better than that. Aaron Hughes, a veteran. He's seen so much

over the years. He'd enjoy this moment, but a great night. Jamie

Ward, they all played their part. Jamie Ward hit the post in the first

half. It's a night for those folks as well to enjoy. They have endured

so much, and now, at last, they've got a victory. What a night at

Windsor Park. Bring on Portugal next month. Final scoreline here, I'm

delighted to say, at Windsor Park, sweet? Yeah, it's very sweet, you

know? As I said, a great performance from the players. I thought

tactically they were magnificent. The work rate was magnificent. Their

togetherness as a team was outstanding but the quality of

possession and the football we played was outstanding against one

of the topsides in Europe. We managed to make it difficult for

them. Roy I thought dealt with them comprehensively, and right through

the team there was experience from the lads - McAuley, outstanding, and

then from a number of the younger players as well. We have all watched

the really frustrating, painful nights whenever you have created

chance after chance. What do you think the difference is this

evening? Can you single anything out? I don't think so. I don't think

there is a difference. You look back at the Luxembourg and Azerbaijan

games in particular, games we clearly should have won, and you

start to feel as if maybe the team - there is a lack -- there is a lack

of belief at times, but today spoke of the game. The players with lesser

ambitions played a little bit, and the other players responded to that

as well. Sometimes things just don't go for you. I don't think a lot of

us has gone for us in this campaign. We have had to deal with difficult

situations, even players not available to us. We have seen a lot

of young players coming of age as international players. What a night

for you. It's brilliant, obviously a goal and a good performance from

myself, and mostly, Northern Ireland win. Talk me through the goal

because I think you, like the rest of us, thought McGinn wasn't going

to get there? No, he's quick. I know he's quick. I knew he was going to

get there. As soon as he wrapped his foot around it and put it up,

luckily for me, the defender was three or four yards ahead of me, and

I could get at him and get up. I can get up quite high for a little man

and got up there and put it in. That moment that ball hits that net,

what are you feeling? Delight. All young boys want to score at an

international level for their country. When you do, it's

brilliant, you know, and it gives me the hunger to score more. Fabio,

Northern Ireland tonight - did they surprise you? They didn't surprise

me because they never played like this evening - so fast, good passes,

fast - the way they go forward, but they played a really good game. They

scored. We made mistakes, but the result is what we can see during the

game. I thought today was a big night for me. It has been long time

coming. I have had the arm band now for over a year. It's nice to get

that monkey off my back and delighted for Michael as well. He's

put in a lot of work, and we'd not really got the rewards we deserved,

but delighted for everybody tonight and seeing the fans so happy.

feeling a lot better. It's nice the get a win and particularly against

this class of opposition, but you can't get carried away with it. We

have another top-class team coming here this another couple of weeks.

Now we can look forward to that. Northern Ireland move up to fourth

that game in hand. Joining me is former international Keith

Gillespie. You were involved in many big nights at Windsor Park yourself.

Where does this one rank? It's right up there with - you look at the

England games, beating Sweden, Denmark, it's up there. I think

Northern Ireland seemed to produce when the chips were down. Nobody

expected it tonight. It was a comfortable 1-0. They sort of

strolled through the second half, you know? It seems crazy to say that

with a 1-0 margin, but it's credit to the way the Northern Ireland team

worked. Against a team 93 places above them in the world rankings -

let's not forget that. Exactly. It didn't show that way tonight.

Northern Ireland, you know, from goal keeper to frontman were

exceptional tonight. That's the difference when you've got 11

players on the top of their game, you know, working hard. They sort of

knew it was going to be difficult against a strong nation like rush

yartion, but as I say -- Russia, but as I say, it was a comfortable

victory. Michael O'Neill is a man you know well. He's taken criticism

early in his ten you're. How pleased are you for him? Absolutely

delighted. He's had a tough start to international management, taken ten

games now, but what a way to do it. It's great to see the crowd, you

know, singing in full voice again tonight because they haven't had

much to shout and sing about lately, but full credit to Michael and the

players. They really showed what it meant tonight, and they were first

at every ball and fought the whole game. It's a fantastic result

against, you know what, normally is a good Russia side, but tonight,

they played poorly, but in saying that Northern Ireland, you know,

were just, you know, absolutely fantastic. And a fantastic

atmosphere. It felt a little bit like the days of old when we used to

see David Healy in that number nine shirt knocking them in for fun.

Tonight it was Martin Paterson in the number nine shirt. He had a

tremendous game. He was exceptional, very difficult playing up there in

front on your own. He's not the tallest, but he made himself big at

times and won free kicks, and the goal - it was a great ball in from

Niall McGinn, and he managed to get in front of his marker and placed

the header in the far corner. It's a great time to score before halftime,

give the lads a boost and something to hold on to. It was easy in the

end. It was one, but it could have been more, couldn't it? It could.

Obviously, Jamie Ward hit the post in the first half with a great

strike, and normally, you know, somebody's going to put that in -

the rebound - unfortunately, Martin couldn't do that he was in the right

place a couple of minutes later. He was in the right place in the second

half and just marginally offside, but if anyone was going to score in

the second half, it was Northern Ireland, you know, Russia didn't

look like scoring at all, and I'm sure Fabio Capello is not too happy

in the Russian dressing room. Defensively tonight, Northern

Ireland were up against it with Johnny Evans out as a late

withdrawal but they were superb defensively. That's the keystone of

the success this evening. Yeah, it means a lot when you don't miss

Evans tonight, and Cathcart came in, absolutely exceptional. Gareth

McAuley, some great blocks in the first half especially. Aaron is

Aaron, never has a bad game, particularly impressed with Daniel

Lafferty. He gets forward a lot and defended really well, and he won

some good free kicks towards the end, you know, in defensive areas

which took the pressure off Northern Ireland, so it was a great

performance all-around, but particularly the defence can be very

pleased with the way they played tonight. Lafferty booked. He'll miss

the game against Portugal. Next up, Northern Ireland and Portugal will

not fancy their trip to Belfast, I imagine. They won't. They're

probably rubbing their hands tonight thinking Northern Ireland has done

them a favour, but nobody has it easy coming here to Windsor Park. We

have shown that in the past. It's just a shame we can't sort of do

that against the so-called lesser nations, but we - the players have

put in a great performance tonight, and it gives us great heart getting

back into - Portugal next month. Thank you very much indeed. Time to