Dzeko double makes Northern Ireland pay

Northern Ireland were once again shown the value of clinical finishing as Bosnia and Herzegovina captain Edin Dzeko condemned them to a third straight Nations League defeat in a match that saw them hit the post three times.

Dzeko scored in either half on the Sarajevo ground where he began his professional career, but the visitors will rue a shocking miss from Gavin Whyte and an early George Saville effort that came back off the frame of the goal.

The defeat leaves Northern Ireland on the brink of relegation to League C, with their fate now out of their hands.

It was a sadly familiar tale for Michael O’Neill’s men, who dominated in the reverse fixture at Windsor Park last month but were undone by defensive mistakes.

Things might have been different if just one of Northern Ireland’s three early chances had fallen to a striker, but instead Saville missed all three.

Dzeko opened the scoring in the 27th minute when Edin Visca played the Roma striker in to apply a calm finish.

Dzeko had the ball in the net moments later with a powerful volley, only to be denied by an offside flag and O’Neill’s side were grateful to go in at half-time only 1-0 down.

Substitute Whyte had the chance to equalise when a rebound fell to him but he fired straight on to the post from point-blank range.

And Northern Ireland were made to pay moments later as Dzeko found himself in space to collect Miralem Pjanic’s cross and finish the game.

Picture: PA. Northern Ireland’s Corry Evans, left, challenges Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Miralem Pjanic.