Davis pays penalty
Northern Ireland set for play-offs as captain blazes spot-kick over
This was the definition of a bittersweet night for Steven Davis. The Northern Ireland captain became the most capped midfielder of any of the home nations but his 116th appearance for his country will be best remembered for a penalty miss that denied manager Michael O’Neill a glorious swansong.
Of course, a draw against a Holland side who booked their place at Euro 2020 with this point was still something to be satisfied with, but it could have been so much better.
Davis has been Northern Ireland’s talisman, their Mr Reliable, for so many years now that when Joel Veltman handled in the first half and referee, Syzmon Marciniak, pointed to the spot, most inside the ground would have backed the Rangers man to score.
But Davis did not even test goalkeeper, Jasper Cillessen, instead ballooning the ball high over the crossbar as the home crowd, for the first and pretty only time all night, fell silent.
With a play-off semi-final in March likely to be played away, this was prob- ably O’Neill’s last home game in charge now he has taken the reins at Stoke City and it was such a shame his side could not sign off here with the scalp his wonderful eight-year tenure deserves.
“It was a big moment for Steve, he knows that, and you sense his disappointment,” O’Neill said. “He knows that it’s not the best penalty he’s hit. It was a missed opportunity, there’s no doubt about that. I felt a lot of frustration myself.” That frustration was doubtless borne as much from O’Neill’s eagerness for the big scalp that has largely eluded him as Northern Ireland manager.
The Northern Ireland fans certainly gave him a memorable send-off, serenading him with chants of “We love you Michael”, and the manager responded at the final whistle by applauding all corners of the ground.
Germany’s victory over Belarus guarantees Joachim Low’s team and Holland the first two spots in Group C but Northern Ireland will hope to boost their prospects of a favourable play-off draw with an upset in Frankfurt on Tuesday. Whether O’Neill sees through an agreement to take charge of a playoff in March remains to be seen but that is a worry for another day.
“If it is my last game I think the atmosphere here in Belfast is a little bit special,” said O’Neill. “I think this stadium used to be a place where, at times, players and fans dreaded coming, and the performances showed that.
“Now we have a great atmosphere and a group of players who love playing here and a strong bond between the supporters and the players, and that’s important.”
Holland, who failed to qualify for last year’s World Cup and the last Euros in France in 2016, largely controlled the second half but they were let off the hook in the first, even if Veltman was perhaps a touch unfortunate to be punished for handball.
Paddy McNair’s fine inswinging cross from the right had cannoned off George Saville on to the Holland rightback’s arm and the Dutch reacted furiously when Marciniak pointed to the spot, none more so than Marten de Roon who, having already been booked, remonstrated furiously and was withdrawn soon after.
Holland’s complaints extended to the way Davis had placed the ball for the penalty, with goalkeeper Cillessen charging off his line to make his disgruntlement known. Whether the delays affected Davis is hard to know but O’Neill felt Cillessen should have been punished. “The circumstances around the penalty were poor,” O’Neill said. “I thought it could have been handled better by the referee. The goalkeeper has no need to walk off the line.”
Northern Ireland had begun the game at breakneck speed, pressing with intensity and, although Holland hit the crossbar through Steven Berghuis early on, they were second best. It was inevitable that the home side would not be able to maintain that pace, though, and the Dutch, and midfielder Frenkie De Jong – initially well marshalled by Corey Evans and Davis – slowly began to assert control without ever really threatening Northern Ireland’s goal.
A draw felt about right in the end, but what a missed opportunity this was for Davis, and O’Neill.