Impressive Northern Ireland secure slick home win over Lithuania
Northern Ireland Under 21s breathed new life into their Euro 2023 qualifying campaign with a slick 4-0 home win over Lithuania at Ballymena Showgrounds.
Northern Irelands Alfie McCalmont scores an early goal against LithuaniaImage caption: Northern Irelands Alfie McCalmont scores an early goal against Lithuania
'Big G' tells it like it is
Northern Ireland v Lithuania
Gareth McAuley became a firm fans' favourite for Northern Ireland before retiring on 80 caps in 2019.
The former West Brom, Leicester and Rangers defender penned a column for BBC Sport this week ahead of this World Cup qualifier - and it's well worth a read.
He gives his views on how to prepare for games that don't have qualification riding on them, what Steven Davis might be thinking in terms of his international future and how impressed he has been by new teenage call-up Dale Taylor.
Northern Ireland fans, you probably won't thank us for reminding you, but today marks one year to the day since the heart-breaking Euro play-off final defeat by Slovakia at Windsor Park.
In front of a mostly empty stadium, the hosts' hopes of making a second successive Euros finals ended in huge disappointment as the Slovakians prevailed 2-1 after extra-time in Belfast.
Supporters of the home side have presumably already tried to put that night to the back of their minds but a win tonight in front of an almost full house would help to erase the memory of that loss still further.
PresseyeCopyright: Presseye
NI manager Ian Baraclough consoles Kyle Lafferty after the play-off final defeat by Slovakia one year ago todayImage caption: NI manager Ian Baraclough consoles Kyle Lafferty after the play-off final defeat by Slovakia one year ago today
Team news
Northern Ireland v Lithuania
Northern Ireland manager Ian Baraclough makes four changes to his starting line-up as his charges seek to banish the memory of their second-half collapse in a 2-1 defeat to Bulgaria last month.
Fit-again Jonny Evans, Ali McCann, Stuart Dallas and George Saville come into the team at the expense of Tom Flanagan and Conor Bradley, who drop to the bench, with Jordan Thompson and Daniel Ballard missing through injury.
Shane Ferguson retains his place as Jamal Lewis must settle for a substitute's berth on his return from suspension.
The Northern Ireland team to face Lithuania at Windsor ParkImage caption: The Northern Ireland team to face Lithuania at Windsor Park
Good evening
Northern Ireland v Lithuania
Good evening and welcome to our live coverage of Northern Ireland's penultimate World Cup qualifier against Lithuania at Windsor Park.
Hopes of qualifying for next year's finals in Qatar may have evaporated but Ian Baraclough and his side will still want to finish their campaign on a high to take momentum and confidence into next year's Nations League and Euro qualifying series.
Next Monday sees Euro champions Italy visit Belfast for a glamour occasion but first up tonight it is Lithaunia, who at 135th, lie 77 places below Northern Ireland in the Fifa rankings.
With NI having triumphed 4-1 when the sides met in Vilnius two months ago, the smart money is on a home win tonight but Baraclough's men will be taking nothing for granted as they aim to secure a first home win in 10 attempts.
Northern Ireland's last two games at Windsor Park, against Bulgaria and Switzerland, have ended goal-less, so they will be keen to end that particular sequence too and find the back of the net this evening.
A win is also a must if Baraclough's men are to retain realistic hopes of leapfrogging Bulgaria and securing third spot in Group C.
They currently lie fourth, having won one, drawn two and lost three, and trail the Bulgarians by three points.
Stay with us for the rest of the evening to catch all the action as it unfolds, plus updates from the game involving group pacesetters Italy and Switzerland.
Both the Italians and the Swiss boast four wins and two draws from their first six games to sit on 14 points apiece.
InphoCopyright: Inpho
A view of the Northern Ireland dressing room ahead of the gameImage caption: A view of the Northern Ireland dressing room ahead of the game
Live Reporting
Richard Petrie
All times stated are UK
Under 21 Euro qualifying
Impressive Northern Ireland secure slick home win over Lithuania
Northern Ireland Under 21s breathed new life into their Euro 2023 qualifying campaign with a slick 4-0 home win over Lithuania at Ballymena Showgrounds.
Read more here
'Big G' tells it like it is
Northern Ireland v Lithuania
Gareth McAuley became a firm fans' favourite for Northern Ireland before retiring on 80 caps in 2019.
The former West Brom, Leicester and Rangers defender penned a column for BBC Sport this week ahead of this World Cup qualifier - and it's well worth a read.
He gives his views on how to prepare for games that don't have qualification riding on them, what Steven Davis might be thinking in terms of his international future and how impressed he has been by new teenage call-up Dale Taylor.
Read it all here.
One year ago today....
Northern Ireland v Lithuania
Northern Ireland fans, you probably won't thank us for reminding you, but today marks one year to the day since the heart-breaking Euro play-off final defeat by Slovakia at Windsor Park.
In front of a mostly empty stadium, the hosts' hopes of making a second successive Euros finals ended in huge disappointment as the Slovakians prevailed 2-1 after extra-time in Belfast.
Supporters of the home side have presumably already tried to put that night to the back of their minds but a win tonight in front of an almost full house would help to erase the memory of that loss still further.
Team news
Northern Ireland v Lithuania
Northern Ireland manager Ian Baraclough makes four changes to his starting line-up as his charges seek to banish the memory of their second-half collapse in a 2-1 defeat to Bulgaria last month.
Fit-again Jonny Evans, Ali McCann, Stuart Dallas and George Saville come into the team at the expense of Tom Flanagan and Conor Bradley, who drop to the bench, with Jordan Thompson and Daniel Ballard missing through injury.
Shane Ferguson retains his place as Jamal Lewis must settle for a substitute's berth on his return from suspension.
Northern Ireland: Peacock-Farrell, McNair, J Evans, Cathcart, Dallas, McCann, Davis (capt), Saville, Ferguson, Magennis, Washington.
Subs: Hazard, Southwood, C Bradley, Lewis, Flanagan, McGinn, Taylor, C Evans, Jones, Whyte, Galbraith, Brown.
Lithuania: Setkus, Vaitkunas, Satkus, Dapkus, Barauskas, Megelaitis, Cernych, Lasickas, Verbickas, Novikovas, Laukzemis.
Subs: Armanavicius, Krapikas, Kucys, Dubickas, Simkus, Kazlauskas, Veliulis, Gaspuitis, Plukas, Matulevicius.
Good evening
Northern Ireland v Lithuania
Good evening and welcome to our live coverage of Northern Ireland's penultimate World Cup qualifier against Lithuania at Windsor Park.
Hopes of qualifying for next year's finals in Qatar may have evaporated but Ian Baraclough and his side will still want to finish their campaign on a high to take momentum and confidence into next year's Nations League and Euro qualifying series.
Next Monday sees Euro champions Italy visit Belfast for a glamour occasion but first up tonight it is Lithaunia, who at 135th, lie 77 places below Northern Ireland in the Fifa rankings.
With NI having triumphed 4-1 when the sides met in Vilnius two months ago, the smart money is on a home win tonight but Baraclough's men will be taking nothing for granted as they aim to secure a first home win in 10 attempts.
Northern Ireland's last two games at Windsor Park, against Bulgaria and Switzerland, have ended goal-less, so they will be keen to end that particular sequence too and find the back of the net this evening.
A win is also a must if Baraclough's men are to retain realistic hopes of leapfrogging Bulgaria and securing third spot in Group C.
They currently lie fourth, having won one, drawn two and lost three, and trail the Bulgarians by three points.
Stay with us for the rest of the evening to catch all the action as it unfolds, plus updates from the game involving group pacesetters Italy and Switzerland.
Both the Italians and the Swiss boast four wins and two draws from their first six games to sit on 14 points apiece.