Simone Magill: Northern Ireland striker's 'confidence is high' for Nations League double-header
- Published
Watch: We're prepared for everything - NI striker Magill
Women's Nations League - Albania v Northern Ireland & Northern Ireland v Republic of Ireland |
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Dates: Friday 1 and Tuesday 5 December Venues: Loro Borici Stadium, Shkoder and Windsor Park, Belfast Kick-offs: 16:00 and 18:00 GMT |
Coverage: Watch Albania v Northern Ireland on BBC iPlayer, website & app; watch NI v Republic on BBC Two, BBC iPlayer, website & app |
Simone Magill says she hopes to bring the confidence she has gained with Aston Villa into Northern Ireland's final two Nations League games.
Magill scored her first Villa goal last week in the club's 7-0 Women's League Cup win over Blackburn Rovers.
It came after she spent 10 months on the sidelines with a ruptured ACL before returning to club action in May.
"I finally got going in a Villa shirt after a really long wait with being out," said Magill, 29.
"So it felt really nice to finally be able to play for them."
Magill is set to lead the line for Northern Ireland in their final two Nations League games against Albania and the Republic of Ireland over the next week.
"It's always great to get off the mark. It felt like the longest wait ever but finally off the mark so I'm delighted," added the former Everton forward, whose injury was sustained in the opening game of Northern Ireland's European Championship campaign against Norway in July 2022.
"My confidence is high. It's always nice to get a goal and an assist, and just be involved in and around it. Hopefully I can bring that confidence into camp."
Northern Ireland are currently third in Nations League Group B1 with four points from as many games having lost to the Republic and beaten Albania before taking one point from back-to-back fixtures with Hungary.
Magill scored her first Aston Villa goal last week having missed her first year at the club because of injury
Second-placed Hungary are a point ahead of Northern Ireland with the runners-up - the Republic have already won the group - entering the promotion play-offs.
But while Northern Ireland's match against the Republic is set to be a huge occasion on home soil for Tanya Oxtoby's side at Windsor Park, Magill - who scored a penalty in the 3-2 defeat by Hungary in October - says full focus is on Friday's trip to Shkoder to face an Albanian side who have one point from four games.
"We know that game's coming up but full focus had to be on Albania. It's a massive game for us and a massive opportunity to put in a performance away from home and build off the last window and things we've learned.
"We played them [Albania] at home. We know exactly what they can bring so we're fully prepared for that and we'll work hard in training and figure out how we're going to implement the gameplan.
"It's going to be tough but we're prepared for everything. Fingers crossed we can go out there and get the job done."
On the Republic match, which will be the third time Northern Ireland have played at Windsor Park, Magill said: "Games don't come much bigger than playing your neighbours.
"Hopefully we can get a good crowd out and really end the year on a high."