Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
CON OFF AS HOPE FADING
NORTHERN Ireland’s hopes of qualifying for the U21 European Championship finals in 2021 suffered a crushing blow when they were hammered in Romania last night.
It was a dismal night all round for Ian Baraclough’s side with goalkeeper Conor Hazard sent off in the first half before the home side ripped Northern Ireland to shreds after the break.
Just 38 minutes in and with the score 0-0, the Celtic man saw red after colliding with Romanian midfielder Dennis Man, who had been chasing a through ball.
With Ethan Galbraith sacrificed, Liam Hughes entered the fray for the visitors and stopped the resulting free kick but was up against it in the second half as Romania poured forward.
To sum up Northern Ireland’s night, Linfield’s Shayne Lavery, playing for the Under-21s having been released from Michael O’neill’s senior squad, was off target on the stroke of half-time.
That would given Baraclough’s boys a major boost. Instead Romania were lifted by the missed opportunity and were in front on 48 minutes when Tudor Baluta fired home with his shot going in off the woodwork.
Goal number two for Romania came on 59 with Valentin Mihaila providing the finish.
Seven minutes later the contest was over when Andrei Ciobanu found the net.
Four games into their campaign Northern Ireland only have two points and lie in fifth place seven points behind leaders Denmark who have a game in hand. Chances of qualification are slim at best.
Only the top team from each group is sure to qualify for the Euro 2021 finals. Runners-up spot will guarantee a play-off but unless Baraclough’s side have a stirring finish that looks beyond them. ROMANIA U21: Vlad, Ratiu (Velisar 63), Pascanu, Chindris, Boboc, Oaida, Baluta (Ricardo 79), Ciobanu, Man (Dragus 69), Petre (Neicutescu 69), Mihaila (Ganea 69). NORTHERN IRELAND U21: Hazard, Balmer, Toal, Brown, Graham (Thompson 75), Mccalmont (Parkhouse 74), Mccann, Gordon (Boyd-munce 74), Dunwoody (Palmer 61), Galbraith (Hughes 38), Lavery.