Shayne Lavery and Jordan Thompson added to Northern Ireland squad

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Shayne Lavery scored for the Northern Ireland U21s in their 3-5 defeat by Spain in MarchImage source, Press Eye
Image caption,

Shayne Lavery scored for the Northern Ireland U21s in their 3-5 defeat by Spain in March

Shayne Lavery and Jordan Thompson have been called up to the Northern Ireland squad for the friendly matches against Panama and Costa Rica.

Manager Michael O'Neill has added the uncapped pair after Cameron McGeehan and Ollie Norwood both withdrew.

McGeehan has an ankle injury and Norwood is involved in Fulham's Championship play-off final.

The squad will travel to Central America on Saturday ahead of the first friendly in Panama City on 29 May.

The addition of Lavery and Thompson means there are five uncapped players in the squad for the end-of-season tour along with goalkeepers Conor Hazard and Bailey Peacock-Farrell and Crusaders star Gavin Whyte.

Everton striker Lavery was included in the senior squad for the friendly against South Korea in March but the 19-year-old was an unused substitute for that game.

Thompson, 21, has recently been released by Rangers after the midfielder spent the second half of this season on loan at Livingston where he helped the club to win promotion to the Scottish Premier League after a play-off win against Partick Thistle.

Northern Ireland face Panama, who will be in England's World Cup group, on 29 May before meeting Costa Rica in San Jose on 3 June.

Northern Ireland squad

Goalkeepers: Carson (Motherwell), Hazard (Celtic - loan Falkirk), Peacock-Farrell (Leeds).

Defenders: Cathcart (Watford), J. Evans (West Brom), Hodson (Rangers), Hughes (Hearts), McAuley (West Brom), McCullough (Doncaster), McLaughlin (Millwall).

Midfielders: Dallas (Leeds), C. Evans (Blackburn), Ferguson (Millwall), Lavery (Everton), McNair (Sunderland), Thompson (Unattached), Saville (Millwall), Whyte (Crusaders).

Forwards: Boyce (Burton), Magennis (Charlton), McCartan (Bradford), Smyth (QPR).

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