WORLD CUP PLAY-OFF, 1ST LEG

NORTHERN IRELAND 0 SWITZERLAND 1

NORTHERN IRELAND have a mountain to climb taller than the Swiss Alps to reach the World Cup after this controversial defeat.

The Irish were furious with Romanian referee Ovidiu Hategan’s decision to award Switzerland a penalty for handball when Xherdan Shaqiri’s shot struck Corry Evans’ shoulder.

Ricardo Rodriguez slotted home the priceless away goal from the spot to put the Swiss in total control of this play-off, heading into Sunday’s second leg in Basel.

The Swiss were also fortunate to have 11 men on the pitch after Fabian Schar’s reckless lunge on Stuart Dallas in the first half only resulted in a yellow card, when it seemed worthy of a red.

Northern Ireland must now produce an away performance as Herculean as beating Spain at the 1982 World Cup to reach Russia and their first finals since 1986.

Yet however aggrieved the Irish feel, Switzerland were the slicker team and passed the ball better on a night when the enormity of the occasion seemed to affect Michael O’Neill’s players. The Irish were second best all over the pitch, repeatedly giving the ball away.

After a brief flurry, the Swiss took control of this first competitive meeting since 1964 – when a teenage George Best scored his first international goal – dominating territory and possession. Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka fired over from two opportunities just outside the box, which won’t have surprised any Gooners watching.

Set-pieces were Northern Ireland’s principal, if blunt, weapon and Jonny Evans headed over from a Chris Brunt corner in an isolated threat to the Swiss goal.

Northern Ireland struggled to get out of their own half and keeper Michael McGovern superbly denied Haris Seferovic when he dived to his left to keep out his effort from Shaqiri’s cross one-handed.

The Irish defended far too deep and Shaqiri went close to the opener, curling a left-foot effort millimetres over McGovern’s bar.

While the Swiss deserved to break the deadlock on 58 minutes, the men in green were desperately unlucky to concede a penalty for a supposed handball.

Corry Evans turned his back on Shaqiri’s shot and the ball struck his shoulder yet Hategan pointed to the spot to the astonishment of the Irish. Rodriguez slotted home.

The Irish tried to respond, but the best they could muster was a Brunt free-kick, which curled wide.