Under 21 Euro qualifying: Impressive Northern Ireland secure slick home win over Lithuania

McCalmont was the shining light in a fine team performance by the hosts

Northern Ireland Under 21s breathed new life into their Euro 2023 qualifying campaign with a slick 4-0 home win over Lithuania at Ballymena Showgrounds.

The impressive Alfie McCalmont grabbed a double with Paul O'Neill scoring a penalty and sub Chris Conn curling home a lovely free-kick late on.

John Schofield's side handled the blustery conditions superbly with a commanding performance.

Their second win in five games lifts them off the bottom of Group C.

After away defeats by Russia and Spain in October, Northern Ireland now have six points from five matches ahead of the visit of Malta on Tuesday night, with second place in the six-team Group C table earning a Euro finals play-off place.

Marshalled well at the back by captain Kofi Balmer, one of five Irish League players in the starting 11, Northern Ireland mirrored the 3-5-2 formation currently preferred by senior international manager Ian Baraclough, with Leeds United's McCalmont - currently on loan at Morecambe in particular enjoying the freedom it gave him.

"Alfie is a shining example to the group that there is a clear pathway between the youth teams and the seniors," NI manager Schofield said.

"When you come from the seniors to the 21s, as he has done, that is when you are tested as an individual. You can go one of two ways but he showed a strength of character to help lead the group all week and during the match."

McCalmont's opener on eight minutes owed much to a delicious cross-field pass on the half-volley from Dungannon Swifts midfielder Oisin Smyth which found the energetic Patrick Lane on the left.

Patrick Lane helped create Northern Ireand's opening goal

The Fleetwood Town man delivered a dangerous low cross which wasn't cleared properly and fell to McCalmont, who clinically dispatched a side-foot finish low into the bottom corner that gave goalkeeper Gustas Baliutavicius no chance.

The home side's second arrived two minutes before the break. Ryan Waide looked to be offside when he picked the ball up in the left channel but broke into the box before being upended by Vilius Armalas, with Cliftonville striker O'Neill calmly slotting his spot-kick in the bottom corner.

McCalmont grabbed a well-deserved second in the 75th minute with a similar finish to his first after a neat lay-off by substitute John McGovern following a good O'Neill run and cross.

The scoring was completed on 87 minutes when Conn curled home a beautifully-struck free-kick after coming off the bench.

While it was a comfortable win for the hosts, they had to survive a fourth-minute let-off when Caolan Boyd-Munce gave the ball away to Nauris Petkevicius, who unleashed a fantastic strike from 25 yards that struck the outside of Liam Hughes' post, with the Liverpool goalkeeper beaten.

McCalmont and Lane shine in commanding victory

Leeds midfielder McCalmont has already had a taste of senior international football and he stamped his authority on the match from the outset in his role just behind the front two of O'Neill and Ballymena United's Ryan Waide.

Clearly given licence to attack with Smyth and Boyd-Munce sitting in behind him, he continually found pockets of space and created problems for the visitors with his forward runs, almost scoring a second on the turn just after the half-hour mark.

The majority of Northern Ireland's attacking play, particularly in the first half against a strong wind, came down the left, with Lane a non-stop presence up and down the flank as well as heading wide from a long throw-in.

He also delivered a pinpoint cross to fellow wing-back Trai Hume of Linfield who, with club boss Davis Healy watching from the stands, caught a shot superbly on the volley that was only kept out

Schofield's side will now aim to make it back-to-back wins when they host Malta at Mourneview Park in Lurgan on Tuesday night.