Northern Ireland Left Fuming After Belarus Brinkmanship Ends in Goalless Grind

Northern Ireland’s UEFA Euro qualification campaign continued to stutter after a frustrating 0-0 draw against Belarus in a match that saw Michael O’Neill’s side spurn multiple opportunities to claim all three points.

The Green and White Army came closest to breaking the deadlock in the first half, with two goals ruled out for marginal infringements. On both occasions, the visitors thought they had taken the lead, only for the officials to intervene and leave the Northern Irish players and coaching staff aghast.

O’Neill’s men also hit the post in a chaotic opening period, but the hosts managed to weather the storm and keep the scoreline level at the interval.

Belarus, meanwhile, offered little in the way of attacking threat, with the majority of their efforts coming from speculative long-range attempts that failed to trouble the Northern Ireland rearguard.

As the second half wore on, Northern Ireland’s attacking verve began to wane, with the visitors resorting to crossing the ball into the box in the hope of finding a crucial breakthrough. But it never came, and the match ultimately ended in a goalless stalemate.

The result is a major disappointment for Northern Ireland, who had been hoping to build on their recent performances and push themselves up the qualification group. Instead, they remain in a precarious position, and O’Neill will be aware that a significant improvement is needed if his side are to have any chance of progressing to the finals.

For Belarus, the draw represents a creditable result against a team that is ranked higher than them in the FIFA rankings. But it is unlikely to be enough to keep their own qualification hopes alive, and they will need to start picking up wins soon if they are to avoid being cast adrift at the foot of the table.