Summary

  • Northern Ireland 9-0 North Macedonia (FT)

  • Rachel Furness scores 37th international goal to break NI record

  • Kirsty McGuinness completes hat-trick with Rebecca Holloway (2) and Simone Magill on target

  • Furness heads home Northern Ireland's eighth before Kerry Beattie scores first international goal to cap rout

  • Hosts move three points clear of Austria in second place

  1. So close to the recordpublished at 19:23 Greenwich Mean Time 29 November 2021

    Northern Ireland 1-0 North Macedonia

    That was a great header from Rachel Furness and it had goalkeeper Magdalena Lekovska beaten before being cleared off the line.

    That would have taken her to 37 goals and past David Healy as Northern Ireland's record goalscorer.

  2. 'McGuinness senses opportunities'published at 19:23 Greenwich Mean Time 29 November 2021

    Northern Ireland 1-0 North Macedonia

    Gail Redmond
    Ex-Northern Ireland international

    There are definitely opportunities for Northern Ireland and I know Kirsty McGuinness sees that. She'll be shooting at every opportunity.

  3. Postpublished at 19:21 Greenwich Mean Time 29 November 2021

    Northern Ireland 1-0 North Macedonia

    That was a corner routine straight from the training ground.

    Lauren Wade was waiting for the cut-back and, though she caught her 20-yard strike well, it was off target.

    Moments later Marissa Callaghan catches a long-ranger well - it's even closer but just wide of the post.

  4. Pass, pass, passpublished at 19:19 Greenwich Mean Time 29 November 2021

    Northern Ireland 1-0 North Macedonia

    Northern Ireland are up and motoring now.

    The passing is crisp and the movement is sharp.

    North Macedonia are struggling to get a kick, here. Looking like being a long night for their defence.

  5. 'Holloway fancies another'published at 19:17 Greenwich Mean Time 29 November 2021

    Northern Ireland 1-0 North Macedonia

    Gail Redmond
    Ex-Northern Ireland international

    Rebecca Holloway is making good runs from midfield. I think she fancies another goal tonight.

  6. Postpublished at 19:15 Greenwich Mean Time 29 November 2021

    Northern Ireland 1-0 North Macedonia

    Andy Gray
    BBC Sport NI at Seaview

    It turns out Simone Magill's 'goal' was just the warm-up act for that Kirsty McGuinness strike.

    We had a great view of it in the main stand as it arrowed in off the post. The crowd delivered with a great roar when the net eventually bulged.

    That's the start Kenny Shiels has been calling for and that should lift any nerves and force the visitors to come out from their defensive unit.

  7. goal

    GOALpublished at 19:13 Greenwich Mean Time 29 November 2021

    Northern Ireland 1-0 North Macedonia

    The ball from Rachel Furness was sublime and the finish from Kirsty McGuinness was exquisite.

    Lovely goal to give the hosts the lead.

    The Cliftonville winger has a wand of a left foot and once again she used it to great effect to drill a superb finish in off the far post.

    NI celebrate Kirsty McGuinness' openerImage source, Pacemaker
  8. DISALLOWED GOALpublished at 19:12 Greenwich Mean Time 29 November 2021

    Northern Ireland 0-0 North Macedonia

    Northern Ireland think they've taken the lead but Simone Magill's goal is ruled out for a handball.

    Great build-up play down the left to set up the opportunity.

  9. All Northern Ireland so farpublished at 19:08 Greenwich Mean Time 29 November 2021

    Northern Ireland 0-0 North Macedonia

    Six minutes in and, as you'd expect, Northern Ireland have totally dominated the ball so far.

    No real chances of note just yet, but a confident start from the hosts.

  10. No shortage of well wishers....published at 19:04 Greenwich Mean Time 29 November 2021

    Northern Ireland 0-0 North Macedonia

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  11. 'Great buzz around Seaview'published at 19:02 Greenwich Mean Time 29 November 2021

    Northern Ireland 0-0 North Macedonia

    Andy Gray
    BBC Sport NI at Seaview

    It was reading 10 degrees in the car on the way over, which is tropical compared to the past few days, but it is still a chilly night with rain in the air.

    However, nothing warms the body and soul quite like goals and everyone is hopeful there will be plenty this evening.

    There's a great buzz around Seaview as more than 3,000 fans make their way to north Belfast. We've given it the big build up, let's hope it delivers.

    SeaviewImage source, BBC Sport
  12. Second act underwaypublished at 19:02 Greenwich Mean Time 29 November 2021

    Northern Ireland 0-0 North Macedonia

    Four days after that 11-0 trouncing in Skopje, the second instalment of Northern Ireland and North Macedonia is up and running at Seaview.

  13. Here come the anthemspublished at 18:57 Greenwich Mean Time 29 November 2021

    Northern Ireland v North Macedonia

    A sell-out crowd at Seaview stands for the anthems of both countries ahead of kick off.

  14. McLaren's move to the fast lanepublished at 18:54 Greenwich Mean Time 29 November 2021

    Northern Ireland v North Macedonia (kick-off 19:00 GMT)

    It's been quite the rise for Rachel McLaren.

    The 19-year-old started the year playing Under 19s football for Crusaders before helping the senior team to two domestic cup finals.

    Her incredible journey reached an altogether new peak last Thursday, though, when she made her Northern Ireland debut in the 11-0 drubbing of North Macedonia.

    Andy Gray caught up with her to look back on the experience - read her story here.

    Rachel McLarenImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Rachel McLaren

  15. Furness 'over the moon' to equal Healy's NI recordpublished at 18:49 Greenwich Mean Time 29 November 2021

    Northern Ireland v North Macedonia (kick-off 19:00 GMT)

    They scored seven goals between them - and here is Rachel Furness and Simone Magill's reaction to that 11-0 win over North Macedonia.

    Media caption,

    Furness 'over the moon' to equal Healy's NI record

  16. Caragh warns against complacencypublished at 18:46 Greenwich Mean Time 29 November 2021

    Northern Ireland v North Macedonia (kick-off 19:00 GMT)

    When you hammer a team 11-0 away and then play them again four days later at home, you could be forgiven for expecting an easy game.

    After trouncing North Macedonia last week, however, Northern Ireland defender Caragh Hamilton has warned that she and her team-mates must guard against complacency at Seaview tonight.

    Read more here about what Hamilton - and manager Kenny Shiels - had to say in the build-up to tonight's World Cup qualifier.

    Caragh HamiltonImage source, Press Eye
    Image caption,

    Caragh Hamilton

  17. Northern Ireland's story so farpublished at 18:46 Greenwich Mean Time 29 November 2021

    Northern Ireland v North Macedonia (kick-off 19:00 GMT)

    This is matchday six in World Cup 2023 qualifying for Northern Ireland.

    Kenny Shiels' side have won three, drawn one and lost one so far, meaning they are sitting third in the Group D table, level on points with second-placed Austria and five points behind leaders England.

    After starting with 4-0 home wins over Latvia and Luxembourg in September, October brought a 4-0 defeat by England at Wembley before an injury-time equaliser from the visitors robbed NI of what would have been a huge 2-1 win over Austria at Seaview.

    They returned to winning ways with that 11-0 hammering of North Macedonia on Thursday, and anything other than another three points for Shiels' side tonight would be a massive shock.

    Both England and Austria will almost certainly beat Latvia and Luxembourg tomorrow night as the race for a place at the 2023 World Cup finals continues.

  18. The latest on the NI women's team going full-timepublished at 18:43 Greenwich Mean Time 29 November 2021

    Northern Ireland v North Macedonia (kick-off 19:00 GMT)

    The idea of the Northern Ireland women's team going full time has been kicking around the news agenda for a while.

    And within the last few moments, Angela Platt, the Irish FA's director of women's football, has said a full-time set-up for Northern Ireland's senior squad is in the "final stages".

    Kenny Shiels' panel, which is largely made up of part-time domestic players, have qualified for Euro 2022, their first-ever major tournament.

    Platt says a full-time programme is set to be introduced from January.

    She also added discussions have taken place with regards to equal pay for the men's and women's teams.

    Read more here.

    Angela Platt, the Irish FA's director of women's footballImage source, Press Eye
    Image caption,

    Angela Platt, the Irish FA's director of women's football

  19. 'NI mean business tonight'published at 18:39 Greenwich Mean Time 29 November 2021

    Northern Ireland v North Macedonia (19:00 GMT)

    Gail Redmond
    Ex-Northern Ireland international on Sportsound Extra Time

    Former Northern Ireland international Gail Redmond joins Thomas Kane on commentary at Seaview tonight, and she has been previewing the game on Sportsound Extra Time.

    The stadium is filling up. It's going to be a fantastic atmosphere.

    Kenny Shiels has named the same line-up and I've seen a seriousness already tonight, everyone seems really focused - they mean business tonight.

    Kenny is putting faith in the players that got the result on Thursday. Hopefully we see plenty of goals tonight. If it's going to come down to the wire, it's games like these where you need to capitalise.

    On Rachel Furness potentially becoming NI's all-time record goalscorer: It would maybe be on the back of her mind. I think it'll be tremendous for her.

  20. Nice one, Rachelpublished at 18:33 Greenwich Mean Time 29 November 2021

    Northern Ireland v North Macedonia (kick-off 19:00 GMT)

    He had been out on his own as Northern Ireland's record leading goalscorer for some time, but David Healy now has company at the top of the goalscoring charts.

    He was joined on 36 goals by Liverpool's Rachel Furness when she hit a hat-trick in the 11-0 rout of North Macedonia last week.

    And, ahead of tonight's return fixture, the current Linfield manager sent Furness a "really nice message" of congratulations.

    Captain Marissa Callaghan takes up the story....

    Media caption,

    Healy sent Furness 'really nice message' after midfielder equalled goals record