NI had to 'dig deep' in Malta win - Beattie
Beattie now has four goals in 11 Northern Ireland caps
- Published
"I actually said to the girls not to put it in the air because I don’t head it, and then I scored a header!"
Headed goals may be a rarity for Northern Ireland striker Kerry Beattie but you wouldn’t have thought so watching her glancing effort in the second half against Malta.
Northern Ireland were leading 1-0 through a fortuitous own goal early in the first half and were probing for a second goal that would kill the game.
Up stepped Beattie to deliver on her first start for her country, as she routinely has done at club level so far this season, guiding home Rebecca McKenna's cross to seal the win and secure NI's place in a Euro 2025 play-off in October.
Beattie netted 11 times in six league games for Glentoran before sealing a move to Hearts earlier this month.
She now has four goals in 11 Northern Ireland caps and, along with Casey Howe and Keri Halliday, led a youthful frontline in a professional display from Tanya Oxtoby’s side against in sweltering conditions at the Centenary Stadium.
"It was a very young team out there, but we stuck together and took our opportunities individually and collectively," Beattie said.
"It could have been difficult with the lack of experience and in the heat but we dug deep and got the job done."
'We stuck to the gameplan'
Watch: Northern Ireland book Euro 2025 play-off with Malta win
Indeed, Northern Ireland had to be patient and after regrouping at half-time from an end-to-end first half, they produced a professional display to take control of the second to clinch the win.
Beattie believes the victory was all the sweeter given that Northern Ireland refused to grow frustrated, with the young players, in particular player of the match Keri Halliday, rising to the occasion.
"I’m really happy we stuck to our gameplan because there were times in the game when things weren’t going our way," Beattie admitted.
"When we went in at half-time, I feel like we took a breather, reassessed what we were doing and went out and had a really good second half."