Misfiring Irish fail to make their Marko
AUSTRIA ............... 1 N IRELAND ........... 0
MARKO ARNAUTOVIC continued his excellent form to condemn Michael O’Neill’s side to a second successive Nations League defeat.
After a tepid first half Northern Ireland, who have now failed to score in five away games, should have been ahead early in the second period when Stuart Dallas pounced on a mistake from Sebastian Prodl to head into the path of Steven Davis.
The former Rangers midfielder raced between three defenders and was through on goal but dragged a tame effort wide.
And Northern Ireland were made to pay for their skipper’s miss 19 minutes from time when Arnautovic got in behind Paddy McNair. The in-form West Ham striker kept his cool to slip a shot beyond Bailey Peacock-Farrell for the only goal.
O’Neill then went into all-out attack mode as Rotherham striker Kyle Vassell came for his debut, swiftly followed by Will Grigg.
And the Wigan man thought he had earned a draw five minutes later but his header towards the back post hit the inside of the woodwork and rebounded into keeper Heinz Lindner’s hands.
Defeat leaves O’Neill’s men without a point from two matches in League B’s Group 3. With risk of relegation growing, they need to win Monday’s match in Bosnia-Herzegovina to keep their fate in their own hands.
Boss O’Neill said: “In the first half it took us 20 minutes to get to grips with the game. We had the best chances but didn’t take them.
“Arnautovic then has that quality and it’s a good finish.
“We hit the post afterwards. We’ve played better but the referee didn’t do us any favours.”