NORTHERN Ireland Women produced a grandstand finish to defeat Bosnia and Herzegovina in Larne.
They were trailing the Bosnians in the closing stages before captain Simone Magill popped up with a quickfire double to secure a 3-2 victory in a UEFA Women’s Nations League encounter at Inver Park.
Northern Ireland created the bulk of the chances in the game.
They deservedly took the lead in a first half which they dominated but two goals in quick succession after the interval saw the Bosnians edge ahead.
Tanya Oxtoby’s team kept plugging away though and Magill’s strike in the 89th minute and another two minutes into added time saw them claim all three points in the League B Group 1 match.
Senior women’s team boss Oxtoby made three changes from the side that started the 2-0 defeat to group top seeds Poland on Friday.
Eighteen-year-old striker Kascie Weir was given her first start, while defender Ellie Mason and attacker Danielle Maxwell were also brought in.
Striker Keri Halliday, defender Laura Rafferty and midfielder Chloe McCarron dropped to the bench.
Northern Ireland, the second seeds in B1, started brightly.
There was an early foray by Magill towards the Bosnian penalty area, while Lauren Wade’s whipped corner was headed clear by Marija Milinkovic.
On 15 minutes Northern Ireland took the lead. Wade delivered a corner into the box and Brenna McPartlan lost her marker before heading powerfully home from six yards. It was her first senior international goal.
Third seeds Bosnia, who defeated Romania 4-0 in their opening B1 game, tried to respond quickly.
Striker Milena Gacanica headed wide as Northern Ireland keeper Jackie Burns closed her down.
In the 23rd minute Joely Andrews skipped past a couple of defenders and pulled the ball back to Wade, but her shot drifted well wide.
Moments later Danielle Maxwell just failed to connect properly with an Ellie Mason cross to the back post and then Weir’s rasping shot from 12 yards was pushed over the top by Bosnia keeper Almina Hodzic.
Down the other end, following a counter attack by the visitors, Milinkovic scooped a shot over the bar.McPartlan clipped the ball over the top to Wade who found Weir in space.
The young striker’s half-volley went wide of the post.In the 38th minute Weir forced another good save out of Hodzic.
This time the keeper had to dive low to her right to palm away the forward’s low drive.
As half-time approached Magill guided a header towards goal which was comfortably gathered by the Bosnia keeper.
Bosnia equalised a minute after half-time. Emina Ekic ran unopposed from inside her own half and sped towards the penalty area before stroking the ball low past Burns.
The visitors took the lead just three minutes later with a wonder strike.
A defensive clearance fell to Milinkovic just outside the penalty area and she controlled the ball before rifling it home on the half-volley.
Northern Ireland’s first attempt on goal in the second half came when substitute Emily Wilson swept a shot just past the upright.
A cross from another substitute, Megan Bell, found Mason at the back post and her shot was superbly pushed out by Hodzic.
In the 65th minute Wilson skipped past her marker down the flank and slipped the ball to Bell whose crisp strike from the edge of the penalty area curled inches wide of the post.
Northern Ireland equalised on 89 minutes with a route one goal.
Mason’s long ball found Magill inside the penalty area and she nodded it home from 12 yards past the advancing Hodzic.
Then, in added time, the same duo repeated the feat.
This time Mason’s long ball was chested down by Magill inside the area before she stroked the ball past Hodzic into the bottom corner.
It was a class finish and it proved to be decisive.
Northern Ireland: Jackie Burns, Rebecca McKenna, Ellie Mason, Rebecca Holloway, Rachel Dugdale, Brenna McPartlan, Danielle Maxwell, Joely Andrews, Simone Magill (captain), Kascie Weir, Lauren Wade. Substitutes: (used) Emily Wilson, Megan Bell, Louise McDaniel, Caragh Hamilton; (unused) Rachael Norney, Maddy Harvey-Clifford, Laura Rafferty, Chloe McCarron, Connie Scofield, Keri Halliday, Nadene Caldwell, Natalie Johnson.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Almina Hodzic, Gloria Sliskovic, Selma Kapetanovic, Emma Veletanlic, Melisa Hasanbegovic (captain), Marija Milinkovic, Dajana Spasojevic, Dula Velagic, Milena Gacanica, Emina Ekic, Sofija Krajsumovic. Substitutes: (used) Andrea Cule, Ena Taslidza; (unused) Amila Delic (GK), Lana Radulovic, Maja Hrelja, Alma Krajnic, Nikolina Milovic, Merjema Medic, Elma Husic, Aida Hadzic
NI starting line-up at Inver
And the fans enjoyed it
