Northern Ireland: Scoring winning penalty 'was a proud moment' - Boyce
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Liam Boyce scored the winning kick in Northern Ireland's first-ever penalty shootout
Liam Boyce feels moments like Northern Ireland's Euro 2020 play-off shootout win over Bosnia-Herzegovina are "what you are in international football for".
The Hearts striker hit the winning penalty after a 1-1 draw in Sarajevo.
NI manager Ian Baraclough only brought on Boyce and Conor Washington in the final minute of extra-time which meant the duo's first touch of the match was to score their respective penalties.
"Relief was probably the best word for it when it went in," said Boyce.
Northern Ireland face Slovakia, who beat the Republic of Ireland, to decide who will reach the rescheduled Euro 2020 finals next summer.
Baraclough spoke to Boyce and Washington at half-time of extra-time to say he would bring them on for a penalties, and the former Cliftonville man said he was desperate to touch the ball before the shootout.
"I was just running about trying to get a touch for the 20 seconds I was on," said Boyce.
"When the whistle blew someone kicked the ball away, so the last time I touched the ball was at half-time when I was warming up with the subs.
"When I was walking up [in the shootout] I tried to chip the ball into my hands, but I messed it up. I tried to style it out and dribble the ball up to the spot.
"Once I put the ball down and took a couple of steps back I blanked everything out. I think Bailey [Peacock-Farrell] had to walk around the back of the net, but I didn't know that until after because I was that focused."
Bailey Peacock-Farrell saved Haris Hajradinovic's penalty in the shootout
Despite netting the decisive kick Boyce said that while the penalty "was big personally", the whole team deserves credit for the performance.
"I don't want to be remembered just for that. All five penalty takers were in the same situation, and Bailey is having to face five penalties," he added.
"The performance alone to get to that stage, for me to come on, there was a lot more work than that so it is not just down to my penalty."
Boyce hoped the shootout success will give Northern Ireland confidence and compared the post-match dressing room atmosphere to when they qualified for the Euro 2016 finals.
"It was a bit quiet at the start, but as everyone started filtering in there was water and pizza flying everywhere," he said.
"When we qualified for the Euros against Greece, that was crazy in the dressing room as well. They are the moments that you remember."