NORTHERN Ireland’s senior women’s team will be “really up for it” when they face Croatia in Belfast on Tuesday (October 29), kick off 7.30pm.
That’s the message from Northern Ireland boss Tanya Oxtoby ahead of the second and final leg of the round one UEFA Women’s Euro play-off between the two sides.
Friday’s first leg in Varazdin ended all square after the Croatians scored a penalty early on and Northern Ireland equalised in the 92nd minute via an own goal.
It’s a winner takes all scenario in Belfast on Tuesday, and Oxtoby is feeling positive about the game. She insists her players will be playing to win at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park.
In the matchday programme for the second leg, the manager points out: “Conceding a goal early on was, of course, not we wanted in the first leg, however the response from the team was exceptional.
“I thought our first half performance in particular was really good. We got into the right areas and played the patterns we were looking to play.
“The grit and determination we showed in wanting to take something back home is what this group of players is all about. It can’t always be pretty but they will dig in and work hard for each other.”
The Northern Ireland boss applauded the team’s mentality in the second half which had delivered “the result that we deserved”.
In the programme she further points out: “The players could have rested and taken their foot off the gas in the second half but they pushed and pushed to take something out of the game.
“There were lots of positives from our performance. It was a different kind of first half to the second half, but all round I am really happy where we are at.
“It’s one more to go in this play-off and I can assure you the players are really up for it.”
A win will send Northern Ireland into a final play-off against Norway for a place at Euro 2025 in Switzerland.
