NI braced for two 'challenging' games - Burns

Burns is currently without a club after leaving Reading upon the expiry of her contract

Northern Ireland goalkeeper Jackie Burns said that the upcoming Euro 2025 qualifiers against Malta and Bosnia-Herzegovina represent a "challenging window" for her side.

Tanya Oxtoby's side sit third in Group B3 and will secure a place in the play-offs if beat Malta on Friday.

With pressure on Northern Ireland to pick up two wins, Burns predicts it will be a tough test away to Malta and then at home to Bosnia-Herzegovina.

"We have said already this window is very important for us, but as long as we do what we have been doing we can go out and get results," she told BBC Sport NI.

'We can't overlook these two teams'

Northern Ireland are third in their qualifying group after two defeats against Portugal

Northern Ireland suffered back-to-back defeats against group leaders Portugal, who have already secured their place in the play-offs, in the last international window.

They were beaten 4-0 in Leiria, but produced a much stronger performance at Mourneview Park, where they were edged out 2-1 after taking an early lead.

Burns believes that NI can take confidence from their performance in those two games, but that they can ill afford to underestimate Malta and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Malta held Northern Ireland to a 0-0 draw at Windsor Park, while Bosnia-Herzegovina frustrated Oxtoby's side for large periods of the game in Zenica before NI won 3-1.

"We had two pretty good performances against Portugal apart from the result, but I think we can't overlook these two teams because they gave us great games at the start of the campaign," she explained.

"Malta did great against us at home and going out to Malta is going to be a challenge in itself with the conditions that we will be playing in."

She added: "Against Bosnia-Herzegovina, they're going to have a point to prove against us."

'Things are going in the right way'

Burns captained Northern Ireland in the 2-1 loss against Portugal, which was her 50th cap

Burns won her 50th cap for her country in the home defeat against Portugal at the start of June after making her long-awaited Northern Ireland return in the draw with Malta in April.

It came after a 507-day gap between her previous cap after she sustained an Achilles injury.

The 27-year-old, who recently left Championship side Reading, said it was a "smooth transition" back into the Northern Ireland squad after being away for so long.

"It's been great to get back and I feel like I never left," she admitted.

"The Malta game was my first game under Tanya, I had a lot to prove as it was the first time she got to see me play since the injury, so it was a big opportunity, and it went well."

Burns has been impressed with Oxtoby and believes that Northern Ireland are finally starting to see the benefits of the style of play she has been trying to implement.

"What she is trying to build as a team philosophy we are all buying in to, it takes time to fully connect with and for people to understand.

"It is easy to look in from an outside source and think things aren't going well and with the Nations League results not going our way, but at the same time, things take time to fall into place.

"Tanya knows the calibre of players she has, the past two windows things have started to go the right way, so I'm looking forward to it and so are the other players."