Women's Nations League: Northern Ireland to face Montenegro in two-legged play-off in February
- Published
Kerry Beattie celebrates after scoring NI's goal in last week's 6-1 defeat by the Republic of Ireland in Belfast
Northern Ireland will face Montenegro in a two-legged Women's Nations League promotion-relegation play-off in February.
Montenegro will have home advantage in the first leg, with the second leg in Belfast.
Northern Ireland sit 47th in the world rankings, and Montenegro 91st.
Northern Ireland's opponents finished second behind Azerbaijan in their Nations League group C3, winning four of their six fixtures.
They lost twice to Azerbaijan but scored nine goals in their two victories over the Faroe Islands and comfortably defeated Cyprus twice.
Northern Ireland's involvement in the play-off against a League C nation was confirmed when they slipped into third position in League B after a 6-1 loss at home to the Republic of Ireland in Belfast last week, while Hungary saw off Albania 6-0.
In her first campaign in charge, manager Tanya Oxtoby saw her side lose home and away to the Republic of Ireland in Group B1, defeat Albania home and away, and draw one and lose one of their encounters with Hungary.
The other League B/League C promotion-relegation play-offs will see Latvia play Slovakia and Bulgaria take on Ukraine.
The League A/League B play-off draw reads - Serbia v Iceland, Hungary v Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina v Sweden and Croatia v Norway.
The inaugural Nations League Play-off semi-finals will both be contested over just one match, with Spain hosting the Netherlands and France at home to Germany.
The winner of the Spain v Netherlands tie will have home advantage in the final.