Prague joy could inspire play-off win, says O’neill

Michael O’neill has told his Northern Ireland side their 3-2 friendly win over the Czech Republic shows they can reach Euro 2020 via the play-offs.

O’neill attached “no significance whatsoever” to the fact Monday night’s success was Northern Ireland’s first friendly win on the road since they beat Finland in 2006. But he felt the performance in Prague could prove much more important as they look to rescue their hopes of reaching Euro 2020.

Thursday’s late 3-1 defeat by the Netherlands in Rotterdam means Northern Ireland need to beat the Dutch in Belfast and Germany in Frankfurt next month to have any hope of escaping Group C, but they look increasingly likely to reach the play-offs through the Nations League.

“We said to the players, if we are in a play-off situation we will have to come somewhere like this,” he said. “I think the Czech Republic will qualify automatically but we will have to come to a similar opponent, possibly away from home, and win the game.

“And if that is the case we will have to defend for our lives for the last 15 or 20 minutes of the game which we had to do here.”

Northern Ireland were cruising at half-time after Paddy Mcnair’s brace either side of a Jonny Evans goal had them 3-0 up, but it turned into a rearguard action after two goals in two minutes from Vladimir Darida and Alex Kral left them hanging on.

“It was a good result against a very good team,” O’neill added. “We played them recently for Russia 2018 qualifying, we drew in Prague 0-0 and won in Belfast, but I think this Czech team is stronger than that team. This is a very positive result.”