Magennis caps late comeback N Ireland
2 Kosovo 1
NORTHERN IRELAND manager Ian Baraclough revealed he took a private moment to breathe a huge sigh of relief after watching his side come from behind to beat Kosovo 2-1 and end their long winless run in the Nations League.
Josh Magennis headed in a stoppage-time winner after Gavin Whyte’s 82nd-minute equaliser had cancelled out a goal from Kosovo captain Vedat Muriqi just before the hour.
When Kosovo took the lead, it threatened to be a thoroughly miserable day for Northern Ireland.
With his side trailing, fans had again called for Baraclough to be shown the door but the late fightback changed the mood inside Windsor Park entirely and the manager instead went to applaud supporters at the final whistle.
“I enjoyed celebrating the goals,” Baraclough said. “It is just a relief the players got their reward for a hard week’s work they put in, and the concentration they put in. And the togetherness. They are still building within a new group.
“I applauded the fans after the game and then went into my office and just sat down and took a big sigh, a big breath. We will enjoy this win and move on and prepare for Tuesday.”
This result will only go part of the way to ending fans’ frustrations, but Baraclough believes positive signs are there.
“It’s part of the game,” Baraclough said of the chanting. “I just tried to block it out. I don’t think it helps because I think it can get onto the players.
“I understand we have got to win games of football, but I’m building and developing a squad and that takes time.”