YOUNGSTERS CZECH OUT FOR HAPPY O’NEILL

NORTHERN IRELAND boss Michael O’Neill believes their Euro 2020 qualifier win over Estonia was a coming-of-age moment for his younger players – who look to repeat the trick against Belarus today.

Thursday’s 2-0 win was Northern Ireland’s first competitive victory since they beat Czech Republic in September 2017 – before Jordan Jones, Jamal Lewis and Bailey Peacock-Farrell were in the squad.

“The younger players, those that have come in since the World Cup campaign, haven’t played in qualifiers,” said O’Neill.

“Certainly for Jordan, Jamal and Bailey, playing that game was a big thing to come through and to have won it.

“I think all these things help you as an international player. Everyone was in good form and the key thing is to build on that.”

Jones, 24, impressed on the left wing, with his cross leading to Niall McGinn’s 56th-minute opener.

He was earning his fifth cap and came into the international break having been left out of Kilmarnock’s recent match against Rangers – a club he will join in the summer. “Jordan was very positive,” said O’Neill. “He’ll have to adapt his game a bit from what he does with his club but he’s moving to a big club in the summer and it’s maybe been a difficult situation to deal with.”

O’Neill now has decisions to make on whether or not to freshen up his side, aware that the majority of his players are not getting regular minutes at club level.

“We’re asking them to play Thursday and Sunday and we need another high level of performance, intensity and energy,” he said.

Corry Evans (hamstring) and Gavin Whyte (thigh) are unavailable but Gareth McAuley is fit again after hamstring troubles.