Gail Redmond
Ex-Northern Ireland international on BBC iPlayer

Simone Magill has had a tough journey with injuries, after all that hard work she comes back and gets a fine goal for Aston Villa. Hopefully she will bring that confidence today.

It appears that Northern Ireland are playing an attacking 4-3-3 system, with Lauren Wade and Danielle Maxwell supporting Simone Magill up front and Marissa Callaghan occupying an attacking midfield role.

Tanya Oxtoby is certainly going all out to get the win with that formation.

Captain Marissa Callaghan gets the game underway in Tirana.

Can Northern Ireland pick up a vital victory?

Gail Redmond
Ex-Northern Ireland international on BBC iPlayer

Goalkeeper is an area we don't have a lot of experience in and it is a chance for Maddy Harvey-Clifford to show her quality which she has for Crusaders this season.

The teams are out on the pitch in Tirana, first up the anthems.

The sole new face in Tanya Oxtoby's squad for this double-header is Linfield's teenage sensation Keri Halliday.

The 18-year old, who has impressed for Northern Ireland at U17 and U19 level, scored 14 league goals for the Blues in the Women's Premiership this season.

An exciting winger with pace to burn and a keen eye for goal, she is one to watch if she comes off the bench to make her debut.

Image source, Pacemaker Press

These two sides last met at Seaview in September, when Lauren Wade scored on her 50th cap to help Northern Ireland beat Albania 1-0 to win Tanya Oxtoby's first home match as manager.

Read the report from that game here.

Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI

Image source, Press Eye

The decision to throw Maddy Harvey-Clifford straight in for her senior debut will certainly raise a few eyebrows.

The Crusaders goalkeeper is one of several young goalkeepers coming through the ranks and has been given the nod ahead of Shannon Turner, who has been Oxtoby's number one in the absence of regular Jackie Burns, and Cliftonville's Rachael Norney.

It's a big call and a big opportunity.

Elsewhere, it's almost as you'd expect and you can see the likes of Caragh Hamilton, Nadene Caldwell and Rebecca Holloway coming on with plenty of experience.

At the other end of the scale, will Keri Halliday be handed a debut?

Tanya Oxtoby makes four changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Hungary at the end of October.

The most notable of those comes in goal, where Maddy Harvey-Clifford makes her international debut as Shannon Turner drops to the bench.

Rebecca McKenna comes in for Caragh Hamilton, whilst in midfielder Marissa Callaghan returns to captain the side in place of Nadene Caldwell.

Joely Andrews is preferred to Megan Bell, whilst newcomer Keri Halliday makes the bench.

Albania: Rexhepi, Metalla, Gjeriji, Maliqi, Gjini, Krasniqi, Doci, Tukaj, Franja, Maksuti, G Berisha.

Subs: Hyska, Curraj, Paqirizi, F Berisha, Troka, Bashka, Lufo, Hila.

Northern Ireland: Harvey-Clifford, Rafferty, McFadden, McKenna, Vance, Callaghan, Andrews, McCarron, Maxwell, Magill, Wade.

Subs: Turner, Norney, Mason, Halliday, McLaren, Holloway, Caldwell, Hamilton. Bell, Wilson, Beattie, Magee.

Simone Magill says she hopes to bring the confidence she has gained with Aston Villa into Northern Ireland's final two Nations League games.

Magill scored her first Villa goal last week in the club's 7-0 Women's League Cup win over Blackburn Rovers.

It came after she spent 10 months on the sidelines with a ruptured ACL before returning to club action in May.

Read more from her here.

Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI

Today's game is mist-win and you could argue it's the toughest match of Tanya Oxtoby's tenure to date.

Hungary were held to a draw here in their opener and the Republic of Ireland only squeezed away with a 1-0 win - although that game was heavily impacted by torrential rain and the pitch resembled a swimming pool rather that grass.

A win today would ensure Northern Ireland cannot finish bottom of the group, and they know a win is likely needed to keep any hopes of promotion alive.

It's the latest big game of Oxtoby's short tenure to date.

In Group B1, the Republic of Ireland have already secured promotion to League A with two matches to spare after beating Albania in October.

Wins over Albania and the Republic in their final two matches may not be enough for Northern Ireland to finish second and reach the play-offs for a place in League A.

Two defeats meanwhile, could mean Tanya Oxtoby's side finish fourth and drop straight down into League C.

Northern Ireland boss Tanya Oxtoby has challenged her players to deliver a "90-minute performance" in tonight's Women's Nations League trip to Albania.

Oxtoby's side go into the Albania game and Tuesday's home match against the Republic of Ireland with promotion and relegation both still a possibility.

"We've been a bit hit and miss with making sure we put a 90-minute performance together," said Oxtoby.

Read more of her thoughts here.

Image source, Pacemaker Press

Good afternoon and welcome to our live text commentary of Northern Ireland's Women's Nations League game against Albania in Tirana.

The game is available to watch on the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website and app.

Tanya Oxtoby's side currently have four points from four games and are a point off second-place Hungary.

They will look to keep their slim hopes of promotion from League B with a win against the hosts, who they beat in Belfast in September.

Then, at 19:30 GMT, we will turn our attention to the Republic of Ireland, who host Hungary in Tallaght.

It will be interim boss Eileen Gleeson's last home game in charge.

The Republic have already achieved promotion to League A with two games to spare.

Northern Ireland will hope the Republic can do them a favour by beating the Hungarians to boost their promotion chances.

Stay with us for all the action across both games, it is set to be an entertaining evening.

Enjoy!

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images