BOSS FEELING HEAT AS IRISH LOSE ONCE AGAIN
NORTHERN IRELAND’S Nations League despair grew deeper as they fell to a defeat to Kosovo which caused some fans to openly turn on Ian Baraclough. Sections of the Green and White Army sang ‘Cheerio’ after the manager went to acknowledge the travelling support at the end of a match in which the final score made it look better than it really was. Early strikes from Vedat Muriqi and Zymer Bytyqi, the first a penalty, put Kosovo in control. And although Shayne Lavery pulled one back on the stroke of half-time, Muriqi’s second at the start of the second half should have killed it, Dan Ballard’s late header notwithstanding. Steven Davis, playing in his 99th competitive international, gave away the penalty for the opener. A defiant Baraclough said: ‘We knew how difficult it was going to be. It was a good test and I think we have matched them. That all bodes well for the future. This is a building plan and this is the bigger picture. More performances like that will get results. ‘There are ways to lose a game of football and we took the game to them. We started the game really well and to find ourselves two goals down could have shellshocked us but we stayed resolute and stayed positive in possession.’ Northern Ireland’s games without a win in this competition now number 13, but it was not luck that was against them at the Stadiumi Fadil Vokrri as they were second best to a bright Kosovo side who threatened to score more and increase the growing pressure on Baraclough. His side entered League C Group 2 as top seeds following their relegation and Baraclough talked of taking 12 points from their June fixtures, but they have taken only one from three.