0:00:24 > 0:00:27Hello and welcome to Windsor Park on a pivotal night of European
0:00:27 > 0:00:35Championship football. It's Northern Ireland against Serbia.
0:00:35 > 0:00:45Both sides chasing that crucial second place in group C. Both in
0:00:45 > 0:01:02
0:01:02 > 0:01:12Three points tonight is a must. Pushing as that ball goes over.
0:01:12 > 0:01:33
0:01:33 > 0:01:43It's in! Aaron Hughes, I thought he It's in! Aaron Hughes, I thought he
0:01:43 > 0:01:46
0:01:46 > 0:01:50was never going to score. That is class. We know. Match commentary
0:01:50 > 0:01:53and team news comes compliments of Jacqui Fullerton.
0:01:53 > 0:01:58The big talking point about the Northern Ireland line-up is all
0:01:58 > 0:02:04about the men missing. Lafferty and last month's Man of the Match
0:02:04 > 0:02:11McCourt both missing because of injury. Their absence is a major
0:02:11 > 0:02:18setback. On the plus side, Chris Brunt is back from sus suspension
0:02:18 > 0:02:22and he will Healy up front. Evans will be on the right. McCann on the
0:02:22 > 0:02:29left. Serbia, they're missing Manchester
0:02:29 > 0:02:38United defender Vidic but a number of good names here. Ivanovic of
0:02:38 > 0:02:43Chelsea. Midfielder Jovanovic had a spell at Liverpool. The Captain is
0:02:43 > 0:02:47Stankovic from Inter Milan. And Tosic, he had a year and a half at
0:02:47 > 0:02:57Manchester United, will help Pantelic up front. They get the
0:02:57 > 0:03:00
0:03:00 > 0:03:10goals in Belgrade back in March. Away we go.
0:03:10 > 0:03:22
0:03:22 > 0:03:27Here is an early break. McCann. Good challenge there from Steve
0:03:27 > 0:03:37Davis. It's one of those special nights at Windsor Park, both sides
0:03:37 > 0:03:38
0:03:38 > 0:03:43really need the win to keep their euro dreams alive. Expect a
0:03:43 > 0:03:50physical contest. Here is Stankovic. The play-maker.
0:03:50 > 0:03:56Not a bad ball from the skipper. Tosic.
0:03:56 > 0:04:03Dangerous ball in. McAuley there to deal with it. Davis was fouled on
0:04:03 > 0:04:08the way threw. Northern Ireland get the free kick. Davis, he missed the
0:04:08 > 0:04:182-1 defeat in Serbia. But an early warning there from Stankovic, what
0:04:18 > 0:04:26
0:04:26 > 0:04:36uplifted that 4-0 win over the Faroe Islands, in Serbia's last
0:04:36 > 0:04:41
0:04:41 > 0:04:47qualifier that was in March, they they're favourites tonight, they've
0:04:47 > 0:04:57four wins in the last 12. They've no wins in their last four. They've
0:04:57 > 0:04:58
0:04:58 > 0:05:04scored only two goals in their last four games. Who knows? Virtually a
0:05:04 > 0:05:09sellout crowd of 15,500 at Windsor Park to see it. No Serbian fans, of
0:05:09 > 0:05:19course, they're banned after the trouble their fans caused in Italy
0:05:19 > 0:05:26
0:05:26 > 0:05:32a few months ago. He had to go through on the challenge. Again it
0:05:32 > 0:05:36was Ninkovic. Baird, he did well and then he made a little mistake.
0:05:36 > 0:05:46Chance for the Serbs and Stankovic to put Northern Ireland on the back
0:05:46 > 0:05:48
0:05:48 > 0:05:58foot. Skipper decides to leave it. It's given away. Healy, he's had to
0:05:58 > 0:05:59
0:05:59 > 0:06:09come deep. No way around Kolarov, the man from Man City.
0:06:09 > 0:06:14Northern Ireland, you could get 13- 5 the Serbs 6-5. Their coach, a
0:06:14 > 0:06:19former Arsenal player, he said I think tongue in cheek, his team
0:06:19 > 0:06:29were the underdogs tonight. It's all mind games, isn't it? Get it
0:06:29 > 0:06:37
0:06:37 > 0:06:47not play well in the first half, but they regrouped, they changed
0:06:47 > 0:07:01
0:07:01 > 0:07:08tactics and won the game in the Brings a save from the keeper.
0:07:08 > 0:07:18Chris Brunt has yet to score, well he has got one goal, in fact. He
0:07:18 > 0:07:46
0:07:46 > 0:07:56hasn't scored in this campaign. He well. Evans finds Baird. Back to
0:07:56 > 0:08:13
0:08:14 > 0:08:17Hughes, has to go long. Ninkovic. Here he is again. Jovanovic, the
0:08:17 > 0:08:21man who had a dreadful time at Liverpool. Causing problems for
0:08:21 > 0:08:25Northern Ireland. He hits it, oh, it's off the bar! It took a
0:08:25 > 0:08:29deflection. He's disappointed. He was unlucky, as well. That could
0:08:29 > 0:08:34have been screaming into the top corner, but for a little deflection.
0:08:34 > 0:08:40I think we will see it here. Jovanovic, on to his left foot.
0:08:40 > 0:08:50There is the deflection, off Aaron Hughes. Just there.
0:08:50 > 0:08:59
0:08:59 > 0:09:07skipper. Pantelic. Stankovic couldn't pick up on it. Good run by
0:09:07 > 0:09:14the skipper. He's got one goal in these championships and he's
0:09:14 > 0:09:18winning his 99th Tonight, the 32- year-old from Inter. He's had a
0:09:18 > 0:09:28long successful career. There is the great play. But a woeful finish,
0:09:28 > 0:10:04
0:10:04 > 0:10:14it has to be said. He will not want Johnny Evans. Hughes. Good pressure
0:10:14 > 0:10:15
0:10:15 > 0:10:25from the Serbs. And Healy doesn't have too much chance for the long
0:10:25 > 0:10:36
0:10:36 > 0:10:42He is now with CSKA Moscow after a poor stint at Old Trafford. Took a
0:10:42 > 0:10:47deflection again but Camp no problems. He has plenty of problems
0:10:47 > 0:10:55at club level at the minute, Lee Camp at Nottingham Forest, they've
0:10:55 > 0:10:59made a poor start in the championship. Chris Brunt. We need
0:10:59 > 0:11:09him to see more of the ball to weave a bit of his left-footed
0:11:09 > 0:11:30
0:11:30 > 0:11:34magic. Tosic. He is a tricky too much of the number nine but
0:11:34 > 0:11:42Northern Ireland will be happy about that. Here is Tosic. He gets
0:11:42 > 0:11:52a corner. Evans did well. He knew he was behind him. The man from
0:11:52 > 0:12:12
0:12:12 > 0:12:19Manchester United thawarts the man ball comes in, the keeper got there.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23It falls to Stankovic. Just couldn't keep it down. A little
0:12:23 > 0:12:26rueful smile there. He has had a couple of chances. He has
0:12:26 > 0:12:36squandered a couple of chances. This really isn't a chance but it
0:12:36 > 0:12:38
0:12:38 > 0:12:43will have been a very good goal had he kept it down. Funny enough,
0:12:44 > 0:12:47being a goalkeeper, Lee Camp will be enjoying this, they like to be
0:12:47 > 0:12:57kept busy, strut their stuff. He has had a couple of good saves
0:12:57 > 0:13:08
0:13:08 > 0:13:13already, Lee Camp. But he is Danger here. Oh! Just over. Well,
0:13:13 > 0:13:22Lee Camp, his heart must have been pounding then. I am not sure he
0:13:22 > 0:13:27made the right decision to come out when he did. McAuley with a haunted
0:13:27 > 0:13:31look. Does the keeper come, does he stay? He was in no-man's-land and
0:13:31 > 0:13:41the striker did well but just couldn't lob it beneath the
0:13:41 > 0:13:48
0:13:49 > 0:13:58crossbar. this wet night, as the rain comes
0:13:59 > 0:14:09
0:14:09 > 0:14:19of the evening. Frank Foley, Grant McCann has not been but so far in
0:14:19 > 0:14:47
0:14:47 > 0:14:57Evans putting his body on the line. -- block. Real danger again for the
0:14:57 > 0:14:57
0:14:57 > 0:15:07home team. Johnny events, brave as you like, to keep it away from Lee
0:15:07 > 0:15:07
0:15:07 > 0:15:53Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds
0:15:53 > 0:16:00staff, it has been a reigning all that was required. The Northern
0:16:00 > 0:16:10Ireland crowd quiet for a moment. They realise their team are second
0:16:10 > 0:16:41
0:16:41 > 0:16:51best at the moment, without Northern Ireland players are less
0:16:51 > 0:16:59
0:16:59 > 0:17:05than happy with that challenge. -- might be at be king. -- a booking.
0:17:05 > 0:17:11It is a yellow card. The crowd were wanting a red card. It was a very
0:17:11 > 0:17:17awkward challenge. Healy was putting his head down. Brave as you
0:17:17 > 0:17:22like, David Healy, but he felt that, no question. Was he fortunate not
0:17:22 > 0:17:27to get a red? In injury time at the end of this first half, into the
0:17:27 > 0:17:37Serbian half, that a ball goes forward. It would be a good time to
0:17:37 > 0:17:55
0:17:55 > 0:18:04score. But not with a finish like referee. The chances have all come
0:18:04 > 0:18:13to Serbia. Johnny Evans, a couple of tremendous blocks. Northern
0:18:13 > 0:18:23Ireland have been strong in defence, in attack and non-existent. At
0:18:23 > 0:18:36
0:18:36 > 0:18:43half-time, it is Nell Tunnell. -- 1964, the debut, along with the
0:18:43 > 0:18:49George Best, against Wales. His final cap, 12th June, 1986, beaten
0:18:49 > 0:18:59by Brazil in the World Cup finals on his 43rd birthday. Another
0:18:59 > 0:19:07
0:19:07 > 0:19:17he will have planned it. He has had to rally his troops. Those fans are
0:19:17 > 0:19:18
0:19:18 > 0:19:22doing their best. It is a very poor night, weather Wise. How will it
0:19:22 > 0:19:28end up at result wise? It is looking ominous, but stranger
0:19:28 > 0:19:38things have happened in football. Second half under way. 45 crucial
0:19:38 > 0:20:15
0:20:15 > 0:20:25Serbs. Northern Ireland will be grateful they are not getting that
0:20:25 > 0:20:29
0:20:29 > 0:20:39here. This is good for Northern Ireland, it is very good, but not
0:20:39 > 0:20:48
0:20:48 > 0:20:58good enough. Healy was there, but good ball, but not quite. Healey
0:20:58 > 0:21:12
0:21:12 > 0:21:22and branches are left wondering first team games at Old Trafford
0:21:22 > 0:21:22
0:21:22 > 0:22:04Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds
0:22:04 > 0:22:14a link-up with a D Evans boys. Johnny on the plank, Corry Evans in
0:22:14 > 0:22:19
0:22:19 > 0:22:29not get up highly enough. It has been a bright start to this half by
0:22:29 > 0:22:35
0:22:35 > 0:22:42Evans and Corry Evans will miss the game in Estonia. He had already
0:22:42 > 0:22:52been booked so that will add to Nigel Worthington's problems. The
0:22:52 > 0:23:26
0:23:26 > 0:23:3021-year-old is out of the game in themselves out of trouble and there
0:23:30 > 0:23:38may well be trouble for Northern Ireland but Johnny Evans is there
0:23:38 > 0:23:48once again. Having a solid game. Just shows you what a regular place
0:23:48 > 0:24:16
0:24:16 > 0:24:26for Manchester United in the how, but it is more encouragement.
0:24:26 > 0:24:41
0:24:41 > 0:24:46Lovely stuff from him again, that encouraged by the start to the
0:24:46 > 0:24:56second half, without question. That was a bit slack there from Grant
0:24:56 > 0:25:24
0:25:24 > 0:25:34That idea took a deflection or it is a very good save. -- that I
0:25:34 > 0:25:37
0:25:37 > 0:25:46there took a deflection. -- either. He would have been proud of that.
0:25:46 > 0:25:56Northern Ireland is have enjoyed in nice spell of pressure in that the
0:25:56 > 0:25:56
0:25:56 > 0:26:41Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds
0:26:41 > 0:26:46Serbian half. They are now having hear the buzz around Windsor Park.
0:26:46 > 0:26:56I think he might be aware that his side had slipped back a little back.
0:26:56 > 0:27:13
0:27:13 > 0:27:20He is about to make a change, I what has happened here. Pantelic
0:27:20 > 0:27:25has done it. 10th international goal. He scored one against
0:27:25 > 0:27:32Northern Ireland in Belgrade. And here, it is a sword through
0:27:32 > 0:27:42Northern Ireland's heart. It put Serbia won the Nell in front 25
0:27:42 > 0:27:44
0:27:44 > 0:27:54minutes into this second half. -- 1-nil. He took his time. Steve
0:27:54 > 0:28:01
0:28:01 > 0:28:11Davis will not want to see this believe it, either. It is up hell
0:28:11 > 0:28:14
0:28:14 > 0:28:24now. -- uphill. Even the goal has not silenced the Northern Ireland
0:28:24 > 0:28:56
0:28:56 > 0:29:01Jovanovic. Great save by Lee Camp. Well done. That number one. Give
0:29:01 > 0:29:11skwrof I don't have top marks, lovely skill. Tremendous finish.
0:29:11 > 0:29:30
0:29:30 > 0:29:38Great reflexes from Lee Camp. Johnny Evans is booked. The two
0:29:38 > 0:29:48Evans brothers both booked, both miss Estonia on Tuesday night. This
0:29:48 > 0:29:49
0:29:49 > 0:29:56result will be hard to take. So Nigel Worthington getting a new
0:29:56 > 0:30:01contract, it's already been offered. There'll be talks about that and
0:30:01 > 0:30:05his future, I am sure, over the next few months. Plenty of debate
0:30:05 > 0:30:08amongst the administerors and the supporters. Didn't fall for Baird.
0:30:08 > 0:30:18The referee brings it to an end. You can see the disappointment
0:30:18 > 0:30:18
0:30:19 > 0:30:28there. Petrovic will take the three points. Look at the delight for the
0:30:28 > 0:30:33Serbians. There's the man that got the goal, Pantelic. He gave it away,
0:30:33 > 0:30:35sadly. Not a night to remember for Steve Davis, not a night for
0:30:35 > 0:30:42Northern Ireland to remember. Serbia, they're back in the mix in
0:30:42 > 0:30:49the group. But the finals, surely, for those fans, have dropped off
0:30:49 > 0:30:57the radar for Northern Ireland. Final score in this group C
0:30:57 > 0:31:02qualifier, a very disappointing Northern Ireland 0, Serbia 1.
0:31:02 > 0:31:07got to bear in mind they're a very good side, they're in the top 20.
0:31:07 > 0:31:11The players and the clubs they're at, they can interchange. We found
0:31:11 > 0:31:15it hard dealing with that the first half but got the players in and
0:31:15 > 0:31:18settled down and twaebged one or two things and had a go at it in
0:31:18 > 0:31:22the second half and I am delighted for the players because they
0:31:22 > 0:31:25deserved that. We have to concentrate on the last three games
0:31:25 > 0:31:27and pick up as many points as we can and hope a couple of other
0:31:27 > 0:31:32teams drop some and we can still find ourselves in it. But can't
0:31:32 > 0:31:37fault the effort tonight. First half they showed how good they were.
0:31:37 > 0:31:42But we stuck together, we kept a good shape. We went out second half
0:31:42 > 0:31:46and had a lot of the ball and and unfortunate with the goal, one of
0:31:46 > 0:31:50those things and they hit us with that sort of counterattack goal. We
0:31:50 > 0:31:53are disappointed but there's a lot of positives we can take tonight
0:31:53 > 0:31:58but at the end of the day we have lost and that's the disappointing
0:31:58 > 0:32:04thing. As far as the two yellow cards, from Corry's point of view,
0:32:04 > 0:32:08he was on a booking, got a second. Johnny, got away with it a few
0:32:08 > 0:32:11moments earlier, and I thought he was going to sail through but he
0:32:11 > 0:32:14had another flick at the player and got cautioned, so that's
0:32:14 > 0:32:17frustration and again Johnny is young. I thought he had a fantastic
0:32:17 > 0:32:22game tonight and he will learn from that. So, didn't help our situation
0:32:22 > 0:32:25on Tuesday. But that's a game of football, you deal with it and meet
0:32:25 > 0:32:30it head on and that's what we will do. We will do our best, as we
0:32:30 > 0:32:32always do and I am 100% behind them, the players are a fantastic group.
0:32:32 > 0:32:38They give their all for the Northern Ireland and that's all I
0:32:38 > 0:32:42as a manager can ask them to do and results overall have been top-class
0:32:42 > 0:32:46from our point of view. So, disappointment tonight, and in this
0:32:46 > 0:32:56game it's how quickly you get over the disappointment and bounce back.
0:32:56 > 0:33:17
0:33:17 > 0:33:21A check on the results this much at Windsor Park ends with
0:33:21 > 0:33:24Northern Ireland failing to deliver and it would appear that
0:33:24 > 0:33:30qualification is now all but gone. Joining me former international
0:33:30 > 0:33:36Captain Jim McGilton. It does look very much like the game is up?
0:33:36 > 0:33:40I think so. Tonight was a big night and three points will have been so
0:33:40 > 0:33:44pressure going into next week's game so yeah, it's huge
0:33:44 > 0:33:47disappointment. And you look to that and you go to Estonia now,
0:33:47 > 0:33:52Estonia having won this evening on a high and you take them back here
0:33:52 > 0:33:55and it's away to Italy. That in itself is sa different run-in.
0:33:55 > 0:33:59is. They knew that before that. They knew tonight, that's why
0:33:59 > 0:34:02tonight was so important. So, they'll go back and reflect and
0:34:02 > 0:34:06obviously they'll go and have a go against Estonia and try and win the
0:34:06 > 0:34:11game. They're going to have to win all three. Back to early doors in
0:34:11 > 0:34:16the game itself, the opening chance, it fell to Chris Brunt. You were
0:34:16 > 0:34:21screaming in the terraces here. Play Healy in, it did look if he
0:34:21 > 0:34:26did it could have been an early goal. It was a great passage of
0:34:26 > 0:34:30play. If he had gone across the keeper maybe the keeper had to make
0:34:30 > 0:34:33a save, I know David was on top of it. I felt he didn't really see him.
0:34:33 > 0:34:40That was a promising start and thought they could build on that.
0:34:40 > 0:34:46There were warning signs. They hit the woodwork and Kolarov produces a
0:34:46 > 0:34:50great great save from Lee Camp, Camp one of the highlights. He was
0:34:50 > 0:34:53the sponsored Man of the Match. Serbia controlled large chunks of
0:34:53 > 0:34:57play, kept possession of the football. I thought Northern
0:34:57 > 0:35:00Ireland gave the ball away cheaply at times and that's not like them.
0:35:00 > 0:35:04They did have little patches in the game but overall you have to say
0:35:04 > 0:35:08that Serbia probably deserved to win the game. Second half they came
0:35:09 > 0:35:14out, they are rejuvenated. Johnny Evans breaks down the left, sends
0:35:14 > 0:35:18in a great ball. Young Corry on the end of it, we were all thinking 1-0.
0:35:18 > 0:35:23That was probably their best passage of play and a great ball,
0:35:23 > 0:35:26brother to brother. I am sure they've done that many times. He
0:35:26 > 0:35:30just didn't time it properly, that was a glorious chance. At this
0:35:30 > 0:35:36level and them chances come along, you have to score. The second one
0:35:36 > 0:35:40came just down the line. Chris Brunt, beautiful ball, 60, 70 yards.
0:35:40 > 0:35:46Healy on the end of it, when he gets the cross it breaks for Brunt,
0:35:46 > 0:35:49his shot charged down, but it was a chance. It was a chance. Again a
0:35:49 > 0:35:53great, great pass. He makes the ground up. He does everything right.
0:35:53 > 0:35:59Keeps the ball down. I am sure when he hits it he thinks he is going to
0:35:59 > 0:36:05score. Serbia defended that particularly well. Both the Evans
0:36:05 > 0:36:10boys misthe Estonia game. McCourt probably out and Lafferty too. It
0:36:10 > 0:36:14isn't good. No, and the manager, this is where he is going to earn
0:36:14 > 0:36:18his corn, he is going to have to lift a group of players
0:36:18 > 0:36:22disappointed. They know tonight that was maybe qualification for
0:36:22 > 0:36:30another major event gone. The goal, we have to get to it. Steven Davis,
0:36:30 > 0:36:32who is a quality player, he just seemed to switch off. Curtains.
0:36:32 > 0:36:35Very disappointing for him personally, because I thought he
0:36:35 > 0:36:39played very well in the game. It was just one of them lapses of
0:36:39 > 0:36:43concentration that cost you and again at this level you can't
0:36:43 > 0:36:48afford to give top-class players that opportunity. He finishes it
0:36:48 > 0:36:53well. But the very least they deserve was a draw tonight and we
0:36:53 > 0:36:56gifted them a goal. Fans getting on Nigel's back this evening, do you
0:36:56 > 0:37:00feel that's harsh given you looked at the bench and there's not a lot
0:37:00 > 0:37:05there. You have to acknowledge resources are limited. I think it's
0:37:05 > 0:37:12harsh because you lose two quality players from any squad, with
0:37:12 > 0:37:15Lafferty and McCourt it's going to hurt and it hurt tonight. OK. There
0:37:15 > 0:37:25were, of course, a series of important games played in Europe
0:37:25 > 0:37:39
0:37:39 > 0:37:44this evening. Let's check on a for Northern Ireland is Estonia.
0:37:44 > 0:37:50Can they pick themselves up? The match will be live on Tuesday
0:37:50 > 0:37:53evening on BBC Radio Ulster from 7.00pm. On a pivotal evening of
0:37:53 > 0:37:58European Championship park here in Windsor Park Northern Ireland come