NI manager Michael O'Neill backs players to clinch second place against Czechs

Steven Davis and Josh Magennis with a double were on target for Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland boss Michael O'Neill has backed his players to secure the point they need to finish second in World Cup qualifying Group C in Monday's game with the Czech Republic.

A runners-up finish should ensure a place in the play-offs in November.

"You look back at recent situations where we've had a big prize to play for and we handled it well," O'Neill said.

A double from Josh Magennis and a Steven Davis penalty earned them a 3-0 win over San Marino on Friday.

That victory gave them a seven-point cushion over the Czechs in a bid to finish second behind likely winners Germany in the group.

Eight of the best nine second-placed teams will take part in two-leg play-offs in November to decide who will join the group winners in participating in the Russia 2018 World Cup finals next summer.

"The Czech Republic need to win their last three games to overtake us but hopefully come Monday night we can clinch second place," O'Neill said.

"When you don't score early in these type of games, you can be a little bit anxious but credit to the players, I thought they played with great assuredness and a calmness throughout.

"I thought we could have done more in the first half in terms of balls coming into the box - we could have attacked them better and made more opportunities to have attempts at goal.

"We were calm at half-time. We said we had to continue playing the way we were and we would eventually get the breakthrough and once it did it was a case of how many, to be honest."

O'Neill reserved special praise for Magennis, who took his tally of international goals to three.

"Josh did a great job for us on the night but I thought his physical presence, his willingness to win things in the air, to challenge, to run, would give us a bit of a different dimension and it certainly did," he said.

"He's a player with great enthusiasm for the game and sometimes I think he's a bit under-rated but he gave us a great shift and I'm delighted he got the two goals."