TEARS AS DREAM IS SHATTERED

upset. Some were in tears and everyone was struggling to hold back their emotions. For some, it’s unlikely the World Cup will come round again.

“They’re devastated because it was decided by a really poor decision, a penalty that should never have been.”

Jonny Evans had a stoppage-time header cleared off the line.

The Scottish FA are expected to move for O’neill. He said: “Tonight is about spending time with my players, making sure they’re OK. I’m not thinking any further ahead than that.” A SENSE of destiny gave way to desolation in Basel last night.

Bright hopes of reaching a first World Cup in a generation fell prey to dark devastation. Heartache dancing on the grave of a dream that history was within sight. Regret too. Why couldn’t Northern Ireland have played like this in the first leg in Belfast? The crushing realisation was written large on Michael O’neill’s face on the final whistle. His players too, tears welling in their eyes, their bodies crumpling on the sodden St Jakob Park turf.

A dark dawning that Russia won’t be on Northern Ireland’s football New Zealand or Peru Sweden or Italy

8 7 7 8 8 7 8 8 8 8 7 BITTEREST PILL Irish players struggle to come to terms with missing out on the World Cup finals Qualified: Egypt Morocco Nigeria Senegal Tunisia Iran Japan South Korea Saudi Arabia Belgium England France Germany Iceland Poland...