Switzerland 0 Northern Ireland 0: Michael O’Neill’s side fail to qualify for World Cup 2018 after being held to a goalless draw in Basil
The visitors were chasing a one goal deficit in Basel after a poor refereeing decision side gifted the Swiss a first leg win
WOULDN’T you just love to know what Lisa Evans is thinking right now?
The outspoken wife of Northern Ireland midfielder Corry Evans does have a rather rash temper and an itchy trigger finger when it comes to Twitter.
But the fact her entire country’s romantic World Cup dream was ultimately decided by one of the worst refereeing decisions you’ll ever see only makes the sense of injustice burn even more fierce.
Northern Ireland know their limitations as a football nation and as a team.
The remotest taste of glory is considered a bonus for their effort.
But today (MON) for once, they should allow themselves to feel angry, bitter, resentful. Michael O’Neill and his squad are not going to Russia and referee Oviudu Hategan has played a far bigger part in that story than he should have.
Boss O’Neill went as far as he could in the immediate aftermath of the second leg, a game in which his players far exceeded expectations and had a right good go.
Yes, they were outplayed in the first leg at Windsor Park last Thursday and they certainly didn’t do themselves justice on their own patch, which has become a mini-fortress under their astute manager.
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They might not even have won had they snatched a goal here during 90 minutes of gutsy football in rain-lashed Basel to go to extra time.
Switzerland missed half a dozen chances to really kill them off.
It’s not even a case for Video Assistant Refereeing with all its uncertainties. All O’Neill wanted was a decent ref for the two biggest games of his career and why not?
He was quick to praise German official Felix Brych last night for the way he handled a game of muddy trench warfare.
O’Neill also made the point to congratulate Switzerland and wish them well next summer just moments after having his heart broken and seeing his team of men in tears. He’s not a naturally bitter man.
So when he launches into one about the penalty which ended Northern Irish hopes of back-to-back tournaments and which will have massive repercussions on the future of the game in his tiny outpost, it is probably worth listening.
For some of those soaking wet, filthy dirty players the end of their international careers has come with a glorious failure, but failure still.
Just because there is only a scattering of Premier League players in the team it means just as much, maybe more to represent your country for a chance at playing top level football.
Warhorse Gareth McAuley, who started at centre half and finished as centre forward as Northern Ireland bombarded Switzerland in search of that life-saving goal, there is a big decision to make.
He turns 38 on December 5 and is still playing Premier League football with West Bromwich Albion.
His club-mate Chris Brunt is 34 and veteran of a major knee injury. Aaron Hughes, 38, played his 109th game yesterday (SUN) making him the most capped defender of any of the home nations – surpassing England’s Bobby Moore.
But for 90 minutes O’Neill’s old soldiers and a couple of up and coming youngsters defied the so-called gap in class, scrapped and fought and rode their luck only to lose out in the end.
Jonny Evans, brother-in-law of Lisa, came so close to levelling the score with a point-blank header a minute into injury time, only to see it cleared off the line.
And it was surely fate that decreed it should be Ricardo Rodriguez, the man who scored the infamous penalty in the first leg, who was there to block the ball and rub salt in Northern Irish wounds.
Chris Brunt had two ferocious shots well saved, Stuart Dallas and Jamie Ward collided jumping for the same high ball to nod it in at the far post.
Keeper Michael McGovern made two outstanding saves. One with his hand the other with an outstretched leg, to keep his team in the battle throughout.
McAuley was terribly lucky that a low cross hit his boot and deflected over the crossbar instead of in, during the first half.
Northern Ireland held on though and brought pressure to bear at times but poor finishing quality let them down.
Had they lost this tie fair and square O’Neill and Northern Ireland would have no complaints. But O’Neill will be seething for a long time at the manner in which he went out and will tell anyone who wants to listen.
But nobody says it quite like Lisa.
