O’Neill wants more clinical performance against Israel

NORTHERN Ireland manager Michael O’Neill said he was able to take plenty of encouragement from Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Northern Ireland were undone by two sloppy goals which both came against the run of play at Windsor Park – the second a mix-up between Craig Cathcart and ’keeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell.

The home side had 67pc possession and registered 26 attempts on goal, but did not make one count until substitute Will Grigg – making his first appearance since November 2016 – struck in stoppage time.

Cathcart called it one of the most complete performances of his 37-cap Northern Ireland career, and O’Neill agreed there was plenty to be positive about ahead of tomorrow’s friendly against Israel.

“To play with that intensity and dominance, with close to 70 per cent possession in the game, 25 attempts on goal, 18 corners – it tells the story of the game,” O’Neill said.

“Where we have to be better is the final ball and maybe a little bit better with movement in the box and composure as well.

Ambitions

“We’ll take a lot out of our performance and we’ll look to react on Tuesday night when we play Israel here.”

“Israel are a team very much like ourselves,” O’Neill said. “They will harbour ambitions to go to a major championship. They probably think they’ve underachieved in recent times a little bit.

“Like all these games, there is always a significance to it. We will field a strong team and give game time to players who didn’t get the chance to start on Saturday.”

With tomorrow’s match a friendly, Northern Ireland do not get another chance to put a point on the board in the Nations League until October, when they face back-to-back away games against Austria and Bosnia and Herzegovina – a tough assignment after Saturday’s opening setback.

“It will be different,” O’Neill said. “We’ll not have that level of possession and we’ll maybe have to think about where we are pressing games, maybe not as high as we did when we’re the home team.”

“But we’re more than capable of holding our own at this level and I think we are doing that.”