LET’S GO & SEIZE THIS

FROM BACK PAGE featured at a World Cup in 1986 and O’Neill, who led the province to last summer’s Euro finals, is eager to end that wait.

But he knows the Czechs, who lie seven points below in third with three games left to play, will produce do-or-die display in Belfast.

O’Neill said: “They have to come and win the game, it’s as simple as that. It’s their last throw of the dice, whereas we have three throws of the dice. That’s a nice position to be in.

“We know we’re going to have to play extremely well and produce a big performance and hopefully it is a special night.

“It is one of those games where the psychological side of the game will be huge. It’s going to be a difficult game for them if they go behind, to continue to believe.

“There’ll be times during the game we’ll be under pressure, I’ve no doubt about it. We have to try and take whatever they have away from them early in the game.”

Friday’s 3-0 win in San Marino made it six clean sheets in seven pool games and O’Neill believes his defence merits a lot of credit for shipping just two goals this campaign.

“It’s something we’re proud of,” he said. “Prior to Friday night, only Germany had a better record than us in the European groups and now we have the same record.”

With Gareth McAuley and Craig Cathcart still out through injury, O’Neill is likely to wrap Jonny Evans and Aaron Hughes in cotton wool ahead of the Czech shootout.

He said: “I don’t think Aaron and Jonny (above) used up very much energy against San Marino, but it is a situation we have to be mindful of given the players we don’t have available.”