Mcginn spoils Ronaldo party
CRISTIANO Ronaldo reached a milestone but found himself upstaged by a winger of somewhat humbler standing on a night of Northern Ireland heroics in the Estadio do Dragao.
Ronaldo, winning his 100th Portugal cap, was left frustrated after Niall McGinn, freed by Celtic in the summer and snapped up by Aberdeen, fired Northern Ireland into a shock 30th-minute lead.
Former Tottenham striker Helder Postiga spared his side’s blushes with a scrambled 80th-minute equaliser, but there was no denying Northern Ireland’s right to a point that dented Portugal’s qualification hopes.
Ronaldo’s century was marked in fitting style. A giant banner, draped over the upper tier of a stand, hailed him as the best in the world and stretched from one penalty area to the other, while his landmark cap was presented before kick- off and doffed to all corners.
Eager though he was to remain the centre of attention, his former Old Trafford colleague Jonny Evans had other ideas.
The United centre back was imperious at the heart of Northern Ireland’s defence, stretching to cut out a dangerous Nani cross early on, timing tackles to perfection and showing remarkable composure in possession.
Repeatedly, he had the self-assurance to play his way out of trouble rather than simply clear his lines, and it led to the breakthrough that stunned a capacity home crowd.
Surrounded by opponents near the centre circle, Evans expertly evaded all attempts to dispossess him and slid a pass into the path of Kyle Lafferty. When he immediately relayed it to McGinn, the Aberdeen winger was suddenly in on goal for an opportunity he finished with aplomb.
As Rui Patricio raced from his line, McGinn clipped a shot beyond him before sprinting to take the acclaim of a 1,300-strong travelling support near the corner flag.
It was no more than Michael O’Neill’s side deserved after keeping Portugal quiet for much of the first half. Indeed, it said much for Northern Ireland’s containing job that the closest Portugal came to a first-half goal was when Craig Cathcart inadvertently volleyed a Joao Pereira cross against his own bar in the 36th minute.
Cathcart went perilously close to an own goal again in the 63rd minute, slicing an attempted clearance and seeing the ball loop over Roy Carroll and land on the roof of the net.
Portugal may claim their improved second-half performance merited some reward, but one thing was beyond dispute. Northern Ireland thoroughly deserved any luck that went their way.
j.edwards@dailymail.co.uk