Highlights: Price on target as Northern Ireland draw at home to Switzerland

Jonathan Bradley
BBC Sport NI Journalist

Isaac Price's fine first-half free-kick was only enough to earn Northern Ireland a draw in their friendly with Switzerland at Windsor Park.

The West Bromwich Albion man's sweetly struck effort had put Michael O'Neill's side ahead in the 16th minute, but Switzerland equalised 12 minutes later when the hosts failed to pick up Vincent Sierro at a corner.

Price had the best opportunity of the second half four minutes after the restart but he could only direct Shea Charles' free-kick over the bar.

O'Neill gave debuts to two players with Tottenham Hotspur's Jamie Donley and Portsmouth's Terry Devlin both appearing as second-half substitutes.

Northern Ireland travel to Sweden on Tuesday for the second game of this friendly double-header.

Jamie DonelyGetty Images

Jamie Donley made his first Northern Ireland appearance after receiving Fifa clearance this week

Northern Ireland had won their past four games in Belfast, scoring 11 and conceding none.

While they were without Liverpool's Conor Bradley through injury, the hosts made a confident start.

Queens Park Rangers winger Paul Smyth drew the first save of the night from Swiss keeper Gregor Kobel after only two minutes and they were quickly on the foot front.

Northern Ireland opened the scoring when, after Lee Bonis was fouled on the edge of the box by Stefan Gartenmann, Price curled the resulting free-kick into the top corner.

The midfielder almost turned provider soon after as he put Bonis through on goal but the ADO Den Haag striker only produced a tame effort on goal.

Switzerland, who have not won since beating Italy in the last 16 at Euro 2024, had plenty of the ball and gradually began to look more threatening.

They equalised through their first attempt on target when Northern Ireland left Sierro unmarked at a corner and the midfielder directed a delivery from Ricardo Rodriguez beyond Pierce Charles.

Donley close to goalscoring debut

Isaac Price missesGetty Images

Isaac Price had the best chance of the second half

After the restart, the game settled into a pattern where Switzerland enjoyed plenty more possession but Northern Ireland created the better opportunities.

The best of them fell to goalscorer Price only minutes into the half.

Shea Charles' teasing delivery was perfectly weighted across the goal but Price could not make the desired connection from six yards and the ball spun over the bar.

Brodie Spencer did have to be alert to block debutant Isaac Schmidt's strike on goal, but at the other end Ethan Galbraith put an effort just wide.

Forward Donley, whose international transfer from the England under-age set-up was finalised this week, was introduced in place of Smyth in the 58th minute.

With a quarter of an hour to go, the 20-year-old, on loan at Leyton Orient, went close with a deft header that produced a flying one-handed save from Kobel.

Pierce Charles had to be equally alert soon after to deny Andi Zeqiri who had directed his fellow substitute Alvyn Sanches' cross towards goal, but neither side went any closer to finding a winner.

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