Mcnair at the double as O’neill overseas friendly win in Prague

CZECH REPUBLIC

Darida 67, Kral 68

NORTHERN IRELAND

Mcnair 9, 40, J Evans 23

2

3

Northern Ireland achieved what England could not as they beat the Czech Republic 3-2 in Prague last night but they had to cling on as the hosts threatened to come back from three goals down.

The Green and White Army’s first friendly victory away from home in 13 years was a dramatic one as Paddy Mcnair’s brace, either side of a Jonny Evans strike, had them in charge before Vladimir Darida and Alex Kral struck two in two minutes to set up a nervy finish.

Michael O’neill’s side hung on, though, to put the heartbreak of Thursday’s late defeat by the Netherlands behind them and poop the party of the Czechs, who were 2-1 winners over England on Friday.

It was Northern Ireland’s first friendly win on the road since they beat Finland in 2006, a run of 22 games in which they had scored only two goals.

O’neill’s men waltzed through the first half with 45 minutes of almost complete dominance. Mcnair, pictured, started it in the ninth minute, charging on to Liam Boyce’s low cross and skipping past a defender before striking across Jiri Pavlenka.

It was soon 2-0. Mcnair’s delivery from a corner caused chaos in the Czech Republic box, Tom Flanagan’s effort was blocked but the ball fell for Evans who fired into the roof of the net. Mcnair then struck a third five minutes before the end of the half after latching on to a delightful pass from Rangers’ midfielder Steven Davis.

Darida’s rising shot through a crowded box on 67 minutes gave the hosts a glimmer of hope and moments later Kral strode forward and hit a second into the bottom left corner of the net. But that was as good as it got and the visitors hung on for victory.