FT: Northern Ireland 5-0 Bulgaria (19:45 BST)
Isaac Price opens the scoring after fine work from Dion Charles
Price then doubled their advantage with a deflected strike
A Dimitar Mitov own goal adds a third for rampant Northern Ireland
Kiril Despodov hits the crossbar with penalty for Bulgaria
Price completes hat-trick with stunning strike
Substitute Josh Magennis blasted home a fifth
FT: Northern Ireland 5-0 Bulgaria
Image source, Press EyeWell, has everyone got their breath back?
What a night for Northern Ireland!
You can read Jonathan Bradley's report from Windsor Park here, and keep an eye on the BBC Sport website for reaction from a five-star performance.
We're off for a lie down! Night!
FT: Northern Ireland 5-0 Bulgaria
Here's how things stand....
Next up, it's a home game with Belarus before a final match away in Luxembourg.
Image source, Press EyeFT: Northern Ireland 5-0 Bulgaria
Northern Ireland goalscorer Josh Magennis: "I was fortunate to be part of the squad that qualified for the Euros against Greece, but in terms of total performance, tonight was right up there. From back to front and not just the starting eleven but the subs too, we really dominated the game for 90 minutes."
On his goal and being a mentor: "Some of the lads joke I don't get called up I just show up! You just have to show them what you're about. My role has probably changed, but if you're not playing you can't be a bad egg."
On the young squad: "I think Michael put a lot of trust in the lads and I think we're getting solid performances matched with results and I know the lads are young, but they have played games some of them have over 10 caps, we're gelling as a squad and there is continuity in the team."
Image source, Getty ImagesFT: Northern Ireland 5-0 Bulgaria
Northern Ireland captain Conor Bradley: "I'm really pleased. I've seen us in training every day and I know how hard we work and how well training has been going for the last two weeks. I knew something like this was coming around the corner. It was just a matter of time. I'm really happy that it's happened tonight and hopefully we can push on from here."
On the team's bond: "I'm really enjoying playing with the boys and it's always a pleasure to come away and represent your country. I really enjoy and I really love coming away any time I get the chance."
On the final two games: "Two massive games. We want to stay top of the group and we want to get out of League C. Hopefully we can put in performances like the last two games, keep scoring goals and keep clean sheets."
On the confidence: "It's done a lot for us. The other night we didn't get the win but the performance was really good. To get the performance and goals tonight was brilliant for us, especially for the forward players. The confidence should be really high."
On captaincy: "It's special and a privilege to be able to wear the armband, especially for this team as everyone works so hard for each other. It's a pleasure to be the captain and walking out tonight was a really special moment. I had goosebumps. I've loved it and one of the biggest honours of my life."
Image source, Press EyeFT: Northern Ireland 5-0 Bulgaria
Northern Ireland's hat-trick hero Isaac Price: "It's the best night of my life, for it to happen here, I had my mum and dad here so to do it for them and at home, it is surreal."
On being the first player since David Healy to score a Northern Ireland hat-trick: "Hopefully one day I can catch up with him! That is for the future, it was a good performance, the manager is happy, and it is just about building on it."
On the future of the young side: "We know we are a not finished team; we have a lot of work to do to get there we have a lot of young, exciting players so we can definitely kick on."
On the performance: "We can see the talent we have, and it is just about the key moments, we couldn't put them away in the other game but tonight it went for us and it's great especially at home."
Image source, Press EyeFT: Northern Ireland 5-0 Bulgaria
David Healy
Northern Ireland's record men's goalscorer on BBC Radio Ulster
Since the moment Shea Charles has stepped on the park at Windsor Park you have seen quality so if the captaincy is going to be switched around I would say potentially Shea Charles.
Strangely enough Paddy McNair is probably the most experienced player and he hasn't had it so maybe that's something Michael O'Neill will look at.
FT: Northern Ireland 5-0 Bulgaria
Keith Gillespie
Former Northern Ireland winger on BBC Radio Ulster
If Michael O'Neill feels that Pierce Charles can do exactly the same as what Bailey Peacock-Farrell can do in terms of agility, movement and saving things. Why would you not play Charles if he can offer a lit bit more with his feet?
FT: Northern Ireland 5-0 Bulgaria
All smiles at full-time.
Image source, Getty ImagesFT: Northern Ireland 5-0 Bulgaria
David Healy
Northern Ireland's record men's goalscorer on BBC Radio Ulster
Bailey Peacock-Farrell is more experienced and older and will probably feel it should be him. But you're building a team around a back three for the here and the now and the potential Euro and the World Cup campaigns that are coming up.
As a manager taking into consideration the two games he has played, he hasn't put a foot wrong.
FT: Northern Ireland 5-0 Bulgaria
Here's more from Pierce Charles: "It definitely boosts us going into the next camp, with two games which we should win and hopefully do win. Everyone is on top of the world in there.
On challenging on the other goalkeepers: "Hopefully, that was what I came here to do. When I got the nod to play, that was my target and aim, to keep my position in the team.
Image source, Press EyeFT: Northern Ireland 5-0 Bulgaria
Northern Ireland goalkeeper Pierce Charles: "International football is the biggest stage. To play and keep a clean sheet in a 5-0 win, we've not done that for a while, so it's amazing.
On playing in front of fans: "I said after the last game that playing in front of fans would be an extra boost. You could see that in the team's performance."
On playing with the ball at his feet: "It's something I take pride in since I've been playing football. It's just as important as saving.
On Dion Charles' goal being ruled out: "I saw it on the big screen and I thought, 'maybe!', but it was only by a fraction."
FT: Northern Ireland 5-0 Bulgaria
Keith Gillespie
Former Northern Ireland winger on BBC Radio Ulster
Northern Ireland were first to everything and the night was capped off at the end by Josh Magennis coming on and scoring a great goal. It was a great finish.
FT: Northern Ireland 5-0 Bulgaria
David Healy
Northern Ireland's record men's goalscorer on BBC Radio Ulster
What Shea Charles had tonight was the perfect partner.
Some of the games we have seen Shea play he has been safe in possession and a little bit deeper. I think Ali McCann allowed him to step in and when he's stepping in, he's not only capable of picking but he's technically very good. He has got clever passes and you want someone like that and instead of Shea being the deepest midfielder Ali was that tonight and they played very well together.
FT: Northern Ireland 5-0 Bulgaria
Two games and four points for Conor Bradley as captain.
Image source, Getty ImagesFT: Northern Ireland 5-0 Bulgaria
Image source, Getty ImagesElsewhere, Scotland picked up an impressive point with a 0-0 draw with Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal.
As we previously said, Luxembourg scored a late penalty to hold Belarus to a draw in Group C3.
That sends Northern Ireland top! It's in their hands!
FT: Northern Ireland 5-0 Bulgaria
Keith Gillespie
Former Northern Ireland winger on BBC Radio Ulster
Pierce Charles gives us that calmness when it goes back to the goalkeeper. I think with Bailey Peacock-Farrell we get a little nervy as I don't think his kicking is generally as good.
FT: Northern Ireland 5-0 Belarus
Here's another cracker of a stat from Marshall Gillespie.
The last time Northern Ireland won a game 5-0 at Windsor Park was against Cyprus in April 1971.
Who scored a hat-trick that day? A certain George Best.
It's also just the fourth time ever that Northern Ireland have ever scored four goals in a match. The last time before tonight was 1995!
Only five of Northern Ireland's squad were even born when that happened!
FT: Northern Ireland 5-0 Bulgaria
Keith Gillespie
Former Northern Ireland winger on BBC Radio Ulster
It couldn't have gone any better for us. Every player, substitutes included, done their bit.
FT: Northern Ireland 5-0 Bulgaria
Bulgaria were undefeated in nine matches before tonight, with five clean sheets.
Northern Ireland just blew that stat out of the water.
FT: Northern Ireland 5-0 Bulgaria
David Healy
Northern Ireland's record men's goalscorer on BBC Radio Ulster
It's a brilliant night for Northern Ireland and it's a brilliant night for Isaac Price. To score a hat-trick at Windsor Park, I have had the pleasure of doing that, it's an incredible feeling.
Isaac Price became the first player to score a hat-trick for Northern Ireland in 17 years
Northern Ireland moved top of Nations League Group C3 with an Isaac Price hat-trick helping the side to a stunning 5-0 win over Bulgaria at Windsor Park.
The Standard Liege midfielder had two international goals before Tuesday night in Belfast but bettered that tally in this game alone having scored twice in the first-half before completing his treble with a sensational effort into the top corner nine minutes from time.
In doing so Price became the first Northern Ireland player to net three times in the same game since David Healy hit the second of his two international hat-tricks against Liechtenstein in 2007.
Between Price's second and third, Bulgarian keeper Dimitar Mitov deflected Brodie Spencer's effort into his own goal after the ball had come back off a post and Josh Magennis rounded out the scoring with a thunderous fifth in the closing minutes.
On a night when nothing went right for the visitors, Bulgaria captain Kiril Despodov, who had scored the only goal when these sides met in Plovdiv last month, missed a first-half penalty with the score 3-0.
Despite Northern Ireland's 0-0 draw with Belarus only serving to highlight the side's struggles in front of goal as recently as Saturday, having found the net twice in three Nations League games so far., they actually came into this game as the top scorers in the group.
Still, few would have predicted the flurry of goals that lay in store.
When the deadlock was broken after 15 minutes, the goal's creator surely gave Michael O'Neill some satisfaction.
Bolton Wanderers' forward Dion Charles was one of three changes made to the side from Saturday's game and, after no small show of his persistence to win the ball ahead of Zhivko Atanasov, it was his excellent pass with the outside of his right foot that preceded Isaac Price's dinked finish over Dimitar Mitov.
Evidently buoyed by his return to the starting line-up, Charles turned Atanasov to get in the box once again soon after, though this time Mitov was equal to the effort.
And he was involved again in Price's second. On this occasion, it was Spencer flying down the right flank, the Huddersfield Town man's ball into the box seemingly going to yield a penalty when Dion Charles was hauled to the ground only for Price to arrive on cue and smash home the loose ball.
Having scored twice in 15 previous caps, the midfielder had doubled his international tally in 21 minutes and there was still more to come.
With Northern Ireland suddenly in complete control of the game, two ricochets off the woodwork would ensured it stayed that way into the second half.
First, Brodie Spencer's effort from outside the box deflected off the post and then Mitov for an own goal. Then, five minutes before the break, after Jerome Brisard awarded a penalty for an apparent push by Eoin Toal, Bulgarian skipper Despodov crashed his effort off the crossbar.
Despite those dual slices of luck, the hosts will have felt full value for their lead with Illian Illiev's side proving unable to deal with Northern Ireland's high-press and efforts to overload the left side.
Brodie Spencer's strike would go down as a Dimitar Mitov own goal
Just as it had in western Hungary three days before, the intensity noticeably dropped in the early stages of the second half, albeit this time with Northern Ireland's job done.
With Bulgaria pressed into fewer mistakes in their own third, genuine openings would prove more scarce in the 20 minutes after the restart, although O'Neill's side did threaten from a number of corners.
They would have the ball in the net again with 23 minutes remaining, though VAR chalked off Dion Charles' effort with Conor Bradley having been offside when receiving an arrowed pass from keeper Pierce Charles. That seemed to inject some life back into the contest with Northern Ireland finding the net twice more late on.
The pick of the goals came as Price completed his hat-trick, arcing a shot into the top corner from 20 yards with the 21-year-old taken off to a rousing ovation from the Windsor Park crowd soon after.
And it was one of the replacements who put the icing on the cake, Josh Magennis thumping the fifth off the crossbar for his 12th international goal.
Having scored five goals in their previous five internationals, the emphatic end to the side's scoring troubles puts them in pole position in Group C3 with games against Belarus and Luxembourg to come next month.
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 10 |
| |
| 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 7 |
| |
| 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 9 | -2 | 4 |
| |
| 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 7 | -3 | 1 |
|
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 10 |
| |
| 2 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 9 |
| |
| 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 7 | -1 | 4 |
| |
| 4 | Israel | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 13 | -9 | 0 |
|
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 10 |
| |
| 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 5 |
| |
| 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | -3 | 5 |
| |
| 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 9 | -6 | 1 |
|
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 10 |
| |
| 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 7 |
| |
| 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | -3 | 4 |
| |
| 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 10 | -7 | 1 |
|
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 10 |
| |
| 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 10 |
| |
| 3 | Estonia | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 8 | -5 | 3 |
|
| 4 | Azerbaijan | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 11 | -8 | 0 |
|
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 9 | 12 |
| |
| 2 | Kosovo | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 9 |
|
| 3 | Cyprus | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 10 | -9 | 3 |
|
| 4 | Lithuania | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 8 | -5 | 0 |
|
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 7 |
| |
| 2 | Belarus | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
|
| 3 | Bulgaria | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | -4 | 5 |
|
| 4 | Luxembourg | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 2 |
|
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 10 |
| |
| 2 | Armenia | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 7 | -1 | 4 |
|
| 3 | Latvia | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | -5 | 4 |
|
| 4 | Faroe Islands | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 5 | -1 | 3 |
|
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gibraltar | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
|
| 2 | San Marino | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
|
| 3 | Liechtenstein | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 2 |
|
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moldova | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
|
| 2 | Malta | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
|
| 3 | Andorra | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 0 |
|
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| |
| 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| |
| 3 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 6 |
| |
| 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 6 | -1 | 4 |
|
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 8 | 12 |
| |
| 2 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 9 |
| |
| 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 7 | -5 | 3 |
| |
| 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 10 | -8 | 0 |
|
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 7 |
| |
| 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 7 |
| |
| 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 7 |
| |
| 4 | Kazakhstan | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 8 | -8 | 1 |
|
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 10 |
| |
| 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 8 |
| |
| 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 9 | -2 | 4 |
| |
| 4 | Montenegro | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 6 | -5 | 0 |
|
Manager: Michael O'Neill
Formation: 3 - 4 - 2 - 1
Manager: Ilian Iliev
Formation: 4 - 3 - 3
Manager: Michael O'Neill
Formation: 3 - 4 - 2 - 1
Manager: Ilian Iliev
Formation: 4 - 3 - 3
UEFA Nations League
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Northern Ireland are winless in their last six meetings with Bulgaria in all competitions (D1 L5), since a 2-0 home win in May 1979.
Bulgaria are unbeaten in their last three away games against Northern Ireland (W2 D1), keeping a clean sheet in each of those matches.
Northern Ireland have won both of their last two home internationals by a 2-0 scoreline, and will be looking to win three competitive matches on home soil in succession for the first time since September 2017.
Bulgaria are unbeaten across their last nine internationals, though seven of those matches have ended in draws (W2).This current run comes after a nine-match winless run for Bulgaria which ran between November 2022 and October 2023.
Northern Ireland have won just two of their 19 UEFA Nations League games (D5 L12), failing to score in eight of those matches, including both of the last two. Both of their victories in this competition have come at home, though (2-1 vs Kosovo, 2-0 vs Luxembourg).
Bulgaria’s last three UEFA Nation League games have seen just one goal scored in total, during a 1-0 victory over Northern Ireland in September. In this match, Bulgaria will look to keep four succession clean sheets for the first time since June 2007.
No Northern Ireland player has won more duels (23), had more touches in the opposition’s box (10), had more shots (8), or won more fouls (7) in the UEFA Nations League this edition than Conor Bradley.
Kiril Despodov struck the winner in Bulgaria’s 1-0 win over Northern Ireland in September, the 15th goal of his international career. He’s scored both of his nation’s last two goals in the UEFA Nations League, whilst he’s scored in four of their six wins in this competition on the whole.
