CLOWN TO BUSINESS

Both sides know it’s time to get serious this evening

IN the same week Swiss boss Murat Yakin and his players enjoyed a team outing at a circus, Northern Ireland walk a World Cup tightrope in Geneva.

After Xherdan Shaqiri and company took in the spectacle and splendour of Circus Knie in Lausanne midweek, Ian Baraclough and his players will look to top the bill this evening.

Win and Northern Ireland, who last stepped out at a World Cup under legendary boss Billy Bingham in 1986, will climb to second in qualifying Group C with three games left.

Lose and their hopes of reaching Qatar will tumble in the same dramatic form of the painted clowns who had tonight’s opponents rolling in the aisles three days before.

Baraclough, bidding to secure a runners-up finish behind runaway leaders Italy and a playoff for next year’s finals, knows the “magnitude” of the three points on offer at Stade de Geneve.

“It’s a big game and whichever side wins it will be in pole position,” he said.

“At the moment, it’s still in our hands. And if we can beat Switzerland, it puts us in a great position to grab second place at least and that’s what we’re aiming for.

“It’s a big game and you can feel the focus of the players.

They are ready to go.”

With the Swiss, who drew

0-0 in Belfast last month, travelling to lowest seeds Lithuania on Tuesday night, it’s imperative Northern

Ireland don’t lose further ground.

A draw would leave them playing catchup with a tough trip to Bulgaria to follow on Tuesday followed by next month’s final home games with

Lithuania and big-hitting Italy.

But Baraclough insists a share of the spoils in Geneva won’t end his hopes of securing second in the group and the play-offs in March.

“If we draw it’s not a case of ‘World Cup hopes totally gone’ for us,” he said. “If you can still qualify numerically, you keep going.

“We know we’ve got to get a positive result, but I still think there are some tough games for both teams after this one and it’s been proven there can be some surprise results.”

While several influential players are missing for Northern Ireland this evening, the Swiss will be boosted by the return of two star names.

Lyon star Shaqiri

(inest) and Bundesliga striker Breel Embolo, who sat out last month’s scoreless draw at Windsor Park, are both back in the frame.

“I’m ecstatic,” joked

Baraclough when asked about facing a stronger

Swiss side this evening.

“Shaqiri and Embolo clearly bring something to

Swiss football and we have to be mindful because they’re dangerous players.”

Meanwhile, Baraclough hasn’t fully ruled out injured centre back

Jonny Evans returning to his squad for Tuesday night’s qualifier with Bulgaria in Sofia.

“We’ve not closed the door on that,” he said.