Hopes are Bul-dozed by collapse
NORTHERN IRELAND suffered a second-half meltdown to see their qualifying hopes extinguished.
Ian Baraclough’s side dominated the first period in Sofia and deservedly led through Conor Washington’s close-range effort.
But they fell apart when Bulgaria came to life and Switzerland’s 3-0 win in Lithuania confirmed their lingering chances of reaching Qatar are over.
Todor Nedelev did the damage with two fine strikes and Bulgaria have now climbed above the Irish into third place in the group.
Baraclough said: “You have to be ruthless in front of goal and you have to be clinical. It started going their way for a 20-minute spell and they scored the goals when they got the upper hand.
“We didn’t manage the game well and it cost us.”
This low completes a miserable four days after a controversial loss to Switzerland in Geneva on Saturday and Northern Ireland
AT THE DOUBLE have managed just one win over Lithuania from their six games.
Baraclough handed Conor Bradley his first start and the Liverpool teenager shone as the visitors created chance after chance in the first half.
They were repeatedly denied by Bulgaria goalkeeper Ivan Karadzhov and he saved from Paddy McNair, Jordan Thompson and Washington.
It looked like it would be the same old story in front of goal until Washington poked the ball home on 35 minutes when Karadzhov could only parry Josh Magennis’ header.
Belarus referee Aleksei Kulbakov disallowed it for offside before he was correctly overruled by Russian VAR Sergei Karasev.
Bulgaria dominated the second period as Northern Ireland disintegrated. Nedelev was left unmarked to sweep the ball home left-footed in 53 minutes and completed the turnaround with a fine strike 10 minutes later.