Latest news with #GreenandWhiteArmy
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
How to watch Northern Ireland vs Iceland: TV channel and live stream for friendly today
Michael O'Neill's Northern Ireland are back in action tonight as they welcome Iceland to Windsor Park (Getty Images) Northern Ireland will hope to avoid a third consecutive loss when they host Iceland in an international friendly tonight. The Green and White army have stumbled of late. Following a successful Nations League campaign where they topped a group to earn promotion to League B, they are now without a win in four games. Advertisement Last Friday's loss to Denmark made it back-to-back defeats, though Michael O'Neill's side can perhaps take confidence from a five match unbeaten run at home as they welcome Iceland to Windsor Park. Speaking of the visitors, they will arrive in Belfast in confident mood after beating Scotland at Hampden Park three days ago to end a run of three straight losses. Both nations will use this evening as preparation for their World Cup qualification campaigns that get underway later in the year, with Northern Ireland facing Luxembourg and Germany in a September double-header. A first meeting between these two nations for nearly 20 years, here is everything you need to know about how to watch the match tonight... Where to watch Northern Ireland vs Iceland TV channel: In the UK, the game is being shown live and free-to-air on the BBC. Coverage starts at 7.30pm BST on BBC Two Northern Ireland ahead of a 7.45pm kick-off. Live stream: Viewers can also watch the action live online via BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport Website which are free with a registration.
Belfast Telegraph
4 days ago
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Michael O'Neill ready for NI's next generation to take another step against old foes Denmark
They have largely continued to fly high since, with the ultimate aim to soar all the way to America, Canada and Mexico for next year's World Cup Finals. The latest stop on the journey sees O'Neill's young guns come face to face with Denmark again – on Saturday evening – this time in Copenhagen at Parken. Prior to beating the Danes 2-0 in Belfast in the last game of the Euro 2024 qualifiers, Northern Ireland had suffered a disappointing campaign. Goals from Isaac Price and Dion Charles provided the Green and White Army with hope that all was not lost and since then that optimism has grown with further impressive results and performances plus success in winning a Nations League group. Exciting players like Price, Conor Bradley, Trai Hume, Shea Charles, Pierce Charles and Brodie Spencer have Northern Ireland fans daring to dream again that under O'Neill's management another major tournament is a distinct possibility. The match with Denmark will be the third of four warm-up games this year – with Iceland at Windsor Park on Tuesday – for the World Cup qualifiers which start in September with a double header away to Luxembourg and Germany. In the previous two friendlies in March, Northern Ireland drew 1-1 at home to Switzerland and, weakened by injuries, were ripped apart in Sweden in a 5-1 loss. Given the strength of the Danish side, the game in Copenhagen promises to be a tough test too, though having the likes of Bradley, Hume and Daniel Ballard available for this Scandinavian challenge will help. On what he is expecting, O'Neill said: 'Any nation when they play at home wants to put on a show. You can see in the squad that Denmark have picked they are obviously taking the game very seriously. 'They have players that play in the top leagues and players who are trying to establish themselves in this squad. They will be keen to show they are ready to start big games. 'This is as tough a test as we can expect to get. I felt this game was as close as we could get to possibly playing Germany in September away. That game is in Cologne which is a very similar stadium so it will give us the best preparation possible.' Asked if he was fearful of the game being as difficult as the one in Sweden, O'Neill stated: 'There's no point playing teams you will beat all the time. You won't get any better if you do that. 'We are a Pot 3 team, so if we are going to qualify for a tournament we will have to get results that people don't expect and we have to find a way to deal with teams in Pot 1, which Denmark have consistently been. The result is always important but this is preparation for September. 'We talked about the Sweden game and we were very young on the night and the result was a little bit harsh on us, but that is what international football can do. It can be harsh on you. The important thing is if we go through difficult moments against Denmark we are able to stay in the game and find a way back into the game.' Reflecting on the last match with the Danes, which was a launchpad for his youthful side, O'Neill declared: 'We came off a bad, a disappointing result in Finland (a 4-0 defeat) and the most important thing was we got a good reaction. 'It was a very disciplined performance that came with two very good goals. We counter-attacked extremely well and limited Denmark to very few opportunities in the game. 'They maybe look at the game and say that they had already qualified (for Euro 2024) at that point in time, but for us it was about taking a step forward and that's what we managed to do. 'We took that step forward into the games in March (2024 drawing in Romania and winning in Scotland) and subsequently into the Nations League. 'It was an important game for us because it did set a trigger a confidence in a group of players that, until that point, hadn't won a lot of games at international level. 'Subsequently, I think in the last 13 international games we've been beaten by Spain, Sweden and Bulgaria all away from home. 'There's been a lot of progression, a lot of learnings in that period from the group of players. 'But we've still got a long way to go. The time to judge an international footballer really in terms of the level that you get to is probably 24-25. 'Some players don't even get the opportunity to play international football until they're 24-25. By the time this group of players hits that age group, I'm hoping that if the progression continues, we'll have an experienced team that will come here even better prepared than we will be on Saturday night.' Out of the 26 players originally selected for the June internationals, only Paddy McNair is out after picking up an injury in the four day Marbella training camp. It means the only player in his 30s left in the squad is George Saville. O'Neill added: 'It's a friendly game. They've got nothing to fear from this type of game and we'll have to go and play. I think that this is a good opportunity for our players.'
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Smith replaces injured Harvey-Clifford in NI squad
Teenage Lisburn Rangers goalkeeper Kate Smith has been called into the Northern Ireland squad for the forthcoming Women's Nations League matches against Poland and Bosnia-Herzegovina. It is a first senior international call-up for Smith, 18, who replaces Crusaders stopper Maddy Harvey-Clifford, who has withdrawn through injury. Northern Ireland will host unbeaten group leaders Poland at Seaview on Friday (19:00 BST), followed by a trip to Zenica to face third-placed Bosnia-Herzegovina four days later (18:00 BST). "Kate is a young player we've been monitoring for some time. She equipped herself well when she joined the squad as a training player during our last camp and deserves her place for these two games," said Northern Ireland manager Tanya Oxtoby. The Northern Ireland squad gathered at their training base in Leicester on Monday, where they will train before final preparations take place in Belfast for the League B Group 1 encounter. Oxtoby added: "It's great to get the players together again. There is an optimistic mood about the place. "We know we need to put the work in here over the next few days to prepare ourselves for the games against two quality teams in Poland and Bosnia and Herzegovina. "The players are all eager to play in front of the 'Green and White Army' and we know how important they can be in helping us deliver a positive performance." Northern Ireland trail the Poles by three points in their group with two matches remaining. Goalkeepers: Jackie Burns (Calgary Wild), Kate Smith (Lisburn Rangers), Abbie Smith (Manchester City Women). Defenders: Rebecca Holloway, Rebecca McKenna and Ellie Mason (all Birmingham City Women), Laura Rafferty (Rangers Women), Rachel Dugdale (Blackburn Rovers Women), Abi Sweetlove (Linfield Women). Midfielders: Louise McDaniel and Brenna McPartlan (both Burnley Women), Nadene Caldwell and Aimee Kerr (both Glentoran Women), Joely Andrews (Hearts Women), Megan Bell (Nottingham Forest Women), Connie Scofield (Sheffield United Women, on loan from London City Lionesses), Rachel Furness (Newcastle United Women). Forwards: Emily Wilson and Kascie Weir (both Glentoran Women), Lauren Wade (Hearts Women), Simone Magill (Birmingham City Women), Keri Halliday (Linfield Women), Danielle Maxwell (Burnley Women), Caragh Hamilton (Nottingham Forest Women).
Belfast Telegraph
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Northern Ireland fans set for travel headache as World Cup qualifier confirmed for shock venue
Although Slovakia does have three regular home stadia, it was believed that November's game would be staged at Tehelné pole, the 22,000-seater national stadium in the capital city. However, in something of a kick to the teeth of Northern Ireland, the game is now listed for the smaller 12,555-capacity Košická futbalová aréna in Kosice instead. While venue changes are not unusual for the Green and White Army – September's qualifier against Germany has been moved to Köln rather than Berlin, for instance – this one in particular will cause particular problems. Not only have many fans already booked travel and accommodation in Bratislava but Kosice is tough simply to get to, with a journey between the two cities via public transport taking around six hours. In fact, so far is it from Bratislava that it would actually be faster for fans to travel to Budapest, the capital of neighbouring Hungary, and get a bus or train from there, which would take just under four hours. While there is nothing preventing the Slovakian FA from playing the game in Kosice, the late notice for the fixture swap is a blow for Northern Ireland fans, who by now will have already finalised their travel plans. Northern Ireland have faced Slovakia outside of Bratislava in the past, meeting them in a friendly in Trnava in 2016, however their only previous competitive fixture in the country was played at the Tehelné pole in a World Cup qualifier in 2008.
