Summary

  • Group H: Slovenia 4-2 Northern Ireland (FT)

  1. Postpublished at 20:31 British Summer Time 7 September 2023

    Slovenia 3-1 Northern Ireland

    Andy Gray
    BBC Sport NI in Ljubljana

    The Slovenia fans are singing 'Sesko's on fire' after that third goal, very much playing up to the Will Grigg classic.

    That's not likely to help the Green and White Army's mood.

    Slovenia fans enjoying the European qualifier against Northern IrelandImage source, BBC Sport
    Image caption,

    Slovenia fans enjoying the European qualifier against Northern Ireland

  2. Postpublished at 20:30 British Summer Time 7 September 2023

    Slovenia 3-1 Northern Ireland

    John O'Neill
    Former Northern Ireland defender on BBC Radio Ulster

    I don't think we deserve that but having said that we have defended poorly, which is unlike Northern Ireland.

  3. goal

    GOAL - Slovenia 3-1 Northern Irelandpublished at 20:27 British Summer Time 7 September 2023

    Benjamin Sesko 39 mins

    Northern Ireland didn’t deserve that but Slovenia have a two-goal lead as Benjamin Šesko turns well in the box and curls a lovely, low shot into the bottom corner.

    He may have been given too much time to turn but he certainly made the most of it.

    Huge, huge task now for Northern Ireland to get back into this game.

    Slovenia 3-1 Northern IrelandImage source, BBC Sport
    Image caption,

    Slovenia 3-1 Northern Ireland

  4. Postpublished at 20:25 British Summer Time 7 September 2023

    Slovenia 2-1 Northern Ireland

    Slovenia try to take the sting out of the game by knocking the ball about at the back.

    Northern Ireland ae having none of it, though, and press to win it back and break.

    Again Conor McMenamin gets in down the right and his cross is cleared for a corner.

    Conor McMenamin in action for Northern Ireland against SloveniaImage source, Press Eye
    Image caption,

    Conor McMenamin in action for Northern Ireland against Slovenia

  5. Postpublished at 20:24 British Summer Time 7 September 2023

    Slovenia 2-1 Northern Ireland

    This is one of the most exciting Northern Ireland matches for some time.

    Plenty of goalmouth action.

    Defending not the best at times but it has made for good viewing.

  6. Postpublished at 20:23 British Summer Time 7 September 2023

    Slovenia 2-1 Northern Ireland

    John O'Neill
    Former Northern Ireland defender on BBC Radio Ulster

    I'm not surprised with McMenamin at all. He's always had it in him, he just needed to get his chance and he's certainly taken it tonight.

  7. DISALLOWED GOALpublished at 20:21 British Summer Time 7 September 2023

    Slovenia 2-1 Northern Ireland

    Slovenia thought they had moved 3-1 ahead when Benjamin Šeško tapped in from close range but he had made his run too early and was flagged for offside.

    It stays 2-1.

    Great game, this.

  8. Postpublished at 20:20 British Summer Time 7 September 2023

    Slovenia 2-1 Northern Ireland

    John O'Neill
    Former Northern Ireland defender on BBC Radio Ulster

    I have never seen a player like Shea Charles perform for Northern Ireland before.

    Maybe in the 58 squad they had players like Danny Blanchflower but I'm not old enough to have seen him play.

  9. Postpublished at 20:19 British Summer Time 7 September 2023

    Slovenia 2-1 Northern Ireland

    Stop! That!

    It's almost playground stuff from Conor McMenamin as he successfully completes an audacious nutmeg on the by-line before delivering a low cross that is cleared.

    The former Glentoran man is absolutely loving it out there tonight.

  10. McMenamin 'brilliant so far'published at 20:17 British Summer Time 7 September 2023

    Slovenia 2-1 Northern Ireland

    Andy Gray
    BBC Sport NI in Ljubljana

    Slovenia don't have a clue what to do about Conor McMenamin. He's been brilliant so far, with Shea Charles not far behind.

    The pair of them are at the heart of everything good that Northern Ireland are producing.

  11. Postpublished at 20:17 British Summer Time 7 September 2023

    Slovenia 2-1 Northern Ireland

    Another Northern Ireland free-kick is floated in the Slovenia box but again the home defence is able to head away to safety.

    Set-pieces used to be a real strength of Northern Ireland's. That hasn't the case tonight so far.

  12. NI 'causing them problems'published at 20:15 British Summer Time 7 September 2023

    Slovenia 2-1 Northern Ireland

    John O'Neill
    Former Northern Ireland defender on BBC Radio Ulster

    It's strange watching Northern Ireland tonight. Usually our defence is our strength but we have been very dodgy tonight. Whereas going forward, we are causing them problems both on the left and right.

  13. CLOSE!published at 20:14 British Summer Time 7 September 2023

    Slovenia 2-1 Northern Ireland

    More fantastic work from Conor McMenamin down the right leads to him flashing a dangerous ball across the face of goal but Paddy McNair just fails to get on the end of it.

    He was at full stretch but just could not reach the ball.

  14. Postpublished at 20:11 British Summer Time 7 September 2023

    Slovenia 2-1 Northern Ireland

    Chance for Northern Ireland with a free kick from the right.

    Matty Kennedy's free-kick does not beat the first man, though, and neither does Conor McMenamin's follow-up cross.

  15. 'It doesn't rain but it pours'published at 20:10 British Summer Time 7 September 2023

    Slovenia 2-1 Northern Ireland

    Andy Gray
    BBC Sport NI in Ljubljana

    I got the calculator out earlier in the week and figured that O'Neill had been without 16 senior players throughout the campaign at various points, with nine of those in this window alone.

    That was 11 when Dan Ballard and Gavin Whyte were ruled out, and now Brown, who looks in a lot of discomfort, is forced off.

    It doesn't rain but it pours.

  16. Postpublished at 20:09 British Summer Time 7 September 2023

    Slovenia 2-1 Northern Ireland

    John O'Neill
    Former Northern Ireland defender on BBC Radio Ulster

    Brown got himself in all sorts of trouble. I don't think it was a foul and I think he went over on his ankle. We said earlier that the pitch is horrible and that probably played a part in it.

  17. Cathcart on for Brownpublished at 20:09 British Summer Time 7 September 2023

    Slovenia 2-1 Northern Ireland

    Ciaron Brown was injured when he was pushed off the ball in the build-up to the goal and has been forced off.

    Craig Cathcart is on in his place.

  18. Postpublished at 20:07 British Summer Time 7 September 2023

    Slovenia 2-1 Northern Ireland

    Shea Charles shows his class as he sweeps a ball out wide to Matty Kennedy before getting forward himself and firing a shot over.

    Northern Ireland will want him on the ball as often as possible.

  19. Evans is furiouspublished at 20:06 British Summer Time 7 September 2023

    Slovenia 2-1 Northern Ireland

    Andy Gray
    BBC Sport NI in Ljubljana

    Jonny Evans is furious. He's calling for a foul on Brown by Stojanovic.

    He's been told go go away by the referee a few times now, so he needs to be careful he doesn't get booked for dissent here.

    Northern Ireland go again.

  20. goal

    GOAL - Slovenia 2-1 Northern Irelandpublished at 20:02 British Summer Time 7 September 2023

    Petar Stojanović 17 mins

    Slovenia take the lead again and there is more than a hint of luck about it as Petar Stojanović's shot deflects off Jonny Evans and beats Bailey Peacock-Farrell at his near post.

    That's more bad luck for Evans, who deflected a shot in for Manchester United against Arsenal on Sunday, too.

    Peacock-Farrell may have hoped to keep it out at the near post but the deflection off Evans did change the flight of the ball signifcicantly.

    Ciaran Brown was pushed off the ball by Stojanović in the build-up to the goal.