Latest news with #BrodieSpencer
The Independent
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Michael O'Neill: Northern Ireland feeling positive ahead of World Cup qualifiers
Michael O'Neill believes Northern Ireland should look to the World Cup qualifying campaign with optimism after their final friendly warm-up ended in a 1-0 win over Iceland, despite a red card for Brodie Spencer. Isaac Price fired O'Neill's side in front after 36 minutes and later made a key goal-line clearance as Northern Ireland won a match in which they finished with 10 men for the first time since the famous victory over Spain in 1982. It was perhaps not the match O'Neill had envisaged going into the night as Northern Ireland spent the vast majority of the final half-an-hour defending following Spencer's dismissal, but the win felt more significant given it came in the face of adversity. O'Neill will take the positives from that as he turns attention to September's qualifiers away to Luxembourg and Germany. 'We approach it in a good place and we approach it with optimism,' O'Neill said of the qualifying campaign. 'I think there's a belief in there that, yes, we will be able to go and take points at this level. We look forward to it.' O'Neill's squad remains both young and in large parts inexperienced. Twelve of the 25-man squad for Tuesday's game were 21 or under, and more than half remain in single figures for the number of caps they have. Having been drawn alongside Germany, Slovakia and Luxembourg in Group A, Northern Ireland's realistic target is second place and a play-off spot, but O'Neill's optimism extends well beyond the next six games. 'I know the team will continue to progress beyond the World Cup campaign,' he said. 'It's just natural that the team will continue to progress. The more they play international football, the better they'll get at it. 'That's all they need – they need more and more exposure, they need more minutes under their belts. Will the world Cup campaign come too soon for this group? I don't know. The proof will be in the games.' As had been expected ahead of the fixture, Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Denmark in Copenhagen showed where Northern Ireland need to improve out of possession. Spencer's red card turned Tuesday's friendly into a similar exercise for much of the second half. When asked what his main takeaways from the week were, O'Neill said: 'I think we're going to go into games where we're going to come under a lot of pressure, teams that will come and press us. 'We have to be better than what we've shown in both Copenhagen and then here in terms of how we deal with that. But the other side of our team is our ability to play on the counter-attack, our ability to run without the ball, our desire in our shape and structure. 'We've a lot of things, when we look at the two games, where we'll find a lot of positives. But we're always looking for it to get better. This is still very early in the progression of this team.'
BreakingNews.ie
2 days ago
- Sport
- BreakingNews.ie
We can't ask any more in terms of character – Northern Ireland's Michael O'Neill
Michael O'Neill praised the character of his young Northern Ireland team after they hung on for a 1-0 friendly win over Iceland despite playing the final half an hour with 10 men in Belfast. Isaac Price fired Northern Ireland in front in the 36th minute, but then had to make a goal-line clearance to deny Andri Gudjohnsen in the second half as O'Neill's side came under pressure following the sending-off of Brodie Spencer. Advertisement That dismissal changed the game completely, but O'Neill was proud of the way his players responded as Northern Ireland won a match they finished with 10 men for the first time since their famous win over Spain in 1982. Isaac Price celebrates scoring the winning goal (Liam McBurney/PA) 'We didn't start the game well, we gave the ball away a lot,' O'Neill said. 'They pressed us and we didn't deal with that as well as we could… 'We struggled to get pressure on the ball, but really they didn't cause us any threat either. It's frustrating when you're at home that you're not having a bit more of a foothold and dominance. 'But we're going to have to play like that so I think this team, they've got a strong character and desire when things are going against them to stay in the game… Advertisement 'There's a lot of things we can do better, but in terms of character, we can't ask any more. In terms of defending as a team and as a unit without the ball, I thought we were excellent.' Spencer was sent off for denying a goalscoring opportunity after tangling with Iceland skipper Hakon Haraldsson as he tried to break into the box, a decision which infuriated the Northern Ireland players as they surrounded referee Morten Krogh, and frustrated O'Neill. Isaac Price's goal makes him the youngest player to score 9 goals for Northern Ireland at 21 years 257 days 👏 #GAWA Stat: @NIStats — Northern Ireland (@NorthernIreland) June 10, 2025 'I think it's a poor decision,' O'Neill said. 'The referee doesn't have a very good view of it. Brodie and the attacking player, it's more like their legs get tangled than anything else. 'Daniel (Ballard) is a covering defender as well. And the first touch of the Iceland player goes right through Pierce (Charles), he doesn't have the ball under control. Advertisement 'But you see when the incident happens the referee (isn't close) so he was very, very quick to produce a red card given he doesn't have the benefit of VAR. I was disappointed with it because it obviously changes the game.' Northern Ireland hung on well. As well as Price's clearance off the line, Charles made a stoppage-time save to keep out Isak Johannesson's header. Price's goal was another quality finish from the 21-year-old West Brom forward – his ninth international goal. George Saville won a challenge to prod it to him and after a couple of touches he bent a shot into the bottom right-hand corner of the net. 📸🤩 #GAWA — Northern Ireland (@NorthernIreland) June 10, 2025 Sport Isaac Price earns 10-man Northern Ireland victory... Read More 'I don't think there's too many players come in and play international football and adapt to it as quickly as Isaac has,' O'Neill said. 'He has that ability just to do something a little bit different, a little bit special. The goal is an example of that. Advertisement 'But his biggest contribution to the team is off the ball and his running ability, his ability to press. 'When you've got that type of player who can score goals and has that level of technical ability, you're always concerned about their off-the-ball play, but for him, it's not a problem.'
The Independent
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
We can't ask any more in terms of character – Northern Ireland's Michael O'Neill
Michael O'Neill praised the character of his young Northern Ireland team after they hung on for a 1-0 friendly win over Iceland despite playing the final half an hour with 10 men in Belfast. Isaac Price fired Northern Ireland in front in the 36th minute, but then had to make a goal-line clearance to deny Andri Gudjohnsen in the second half as O'Neill's side came under pressure following the sending-off of Brodie Spencer. That dismissal changed the game completely, but O'Neill was proud of the way his players responded as Northern Ireland won a match they finished with 10 men for the first time since their famous win over Spain in 1982. 'We didn't start the game well, we gave the ball away a lot,' O'Neill said. 'They pressed us and we didn't deal with that as well as we could… 'We struggled to get pressure on the ball, but really they didn't cause us any threat either. It's frustrating when you're at home that you're not having a bit more of a foothold and dominance. 'But we're going to have to play like that so I think this team, they've got a strong character and desire when things are going against them to stay in the game… 'There's a lot of things we can do better, but in terms of character, we can't ask any more. In terms of defending as a team and as a unit without the ball, I thought we were excellent.' Spencer was sent off for denying a goalscoring opportunity after tangling with Iceland skipper Hakon Haraldsson as he tried to break into the box, a decision which infuriated the Northern Ireland players as they surrounded referee Morten Krogh, and frustrated O'Neill. 'I think it's a poor decision,' O'Neill said. 'The referee doesn't have a very good view of it. Brodie and the attacking player, it's more like their legs get tangled than anything else. 'Daniel (Ballard) is a covering defender as well. And the first touch of the Iceland player goes right through Pierce (Charles), he doesn't have the ball under control. 'But you see when the incident happens the referee (isn't close) so he was very, very quick to produce a red card given he doesn't have the benefit of VAR. I was disappointed with it because it obviously changes the game.' Northern Ireland hung on well. As well as Price's clearance off the line, Charles made a stoppage-time save to keep out Isak Johannesson's header. Price's goal was another quality finish from the 21-year-old West Brom forward – his ninth international goal. George Saville won a challenge to prod it to him and after a couple of touches he bent a shot into the bottom right-hand corner of the net. 'I don't think there's too many players come in and play international football and adapt to it as quickly as Isaac has,' O'Neill said. 'He has that ability just to do something a little bit different, a little bit special. The goal is an example of that. 'But his biggest contribution to the team is off the ball and his running ability, his ability to press. 'When you've got that type of player who can score goals and has that level of technical ability, you're always concerned about their off-the-ball play, but for him, it's not a problem.'
BBC News
2 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Hale helps Northern Ireland beat Iceland on debut
Ronan Hale made a winning debut for Northern Ireland as the Ross County striker started his side's 1-0 win over 26-year-old came close to extending his side's lead against the team who defeated Scotland 3-1 at Hampden on was denied by the crossbar, with goalscorer Isaac Price sending over his attempt at a second goal on the rebound, while the County player also fired a low drive just wide before being replaced after 68 then, the hosts were down to 10 men after Brodie Spencer's dismissal 12 minutes into the second half.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
O'Neill pleased with Northern Ireland 'character'
Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill says he was pleased with the resilience shown by his young side in Tuesday's 1-0 win over Price opened the scoring in a low-key first half before Brodie Spencer was sent off in the 57th minute of the Windsor Park Ireland absorbed plenty of late pressure, but escaped with a win after Pierce Charles' late save to deny Isak Bergmann Johannesson before Ruairi McConville hooked the ball off the line."I'm pleased to win the game given the circumstances and going down to 10 men when we did," O'Neill told BBC Sport NI. "We showed great character and determination to defend our goal and we had to. We carried a little bit of threat as well."O'Neill admitted Northern Ireland didn't "start the game particularly well" as Iceland dominated possession the early stages. However, Price's effort lit up the first half and gave the hosts the spark they had been looking for. O'Neill feels his side will have to improve for World Cup qualifying in September, when they travel to Luxembourg and Germany, but his young side will carry plenty of momentum into their opening matches. "It took us 25 minutes to get going, we gave up a lot of possession without giving up any chances, to be honest," O'Neill added."We worked our way into the game and got the goal. With the opportunities we had, we could have scored again."The red card changes things and you have to defend, but we still carried a threat. It's a good result for us against a difficult team and a good way for us to finish the camp and the year."
