Northern Ireland’s Women’s Under-19 team lost 3-1 to Greece in the second of two friendly international matches against the Greeks in Belfast this week. Greece scored two goals in added time to secure the win.
Competition
International Friendly
Scoreline
Northern Ireland WU19 1-3 Greece WU19
Scorers
Northern Ireland: Halliday (36’)
Greece: Chalatsogianni (70’), Fakinou (91’, 93’)
Venue
Blanchflower Stadium, Belfast
Date
28 February 2024
Team News
The two friendlies against the Greeks in Belfast this week are preparation for matches against Estonia, Kazakhstan and Georgia in April in stage two of the qualifiers for Women’s U19 Euro 2024 (League B Group 5).
WU19s boss Gail Redmond made several changes from the starting eleven in the first encounter at the Blanchflower on Sunday - Northern Ireland won it 1-0 with a Kascie Weir goal - and she brought in striker Keri Halliday, who came on as a substitute for the senior women’s team against Montenegro last night.
Also in the starting line-up was Naomi McLaughlin, who earned her first senior call-up this week and was on the bench against the Montenegrins.
How it happened
The first chance of the game fell to Keri Halliday who shot over the top after shaking off her marker.
Konstantina Kostopoulou had Greece’s first effort on goal, however her strike sailed over the bar, while Greece captain Athanasia Tsaroucha fired a free-kick straight at Northern Ireland keeper Kaciee Griffin.
Northern Ireland had the bulk of the possession in the first half and played some neat football. Megan Neill had a shot blocked and Greek striker Antonia Briana fired an effort over the top as the game ebbed and flowed.
On 36 minutes Northern Ireland opened the scoring with a peach of a goal, Halliday producing a great hit from distance.
Towards the end of the half, in a flowing move, Halliday played in Neill who crossed to the back post where Maeve McConaghy just failed to connect with the ball.
Half-time: Northern Ireland WU19 1-0 Greece WU19
The second half started with Greece upping the tempo and Northern Ireland left back Sofie Keenan produced a superb block to stop the Greeks in their tracks.
Briana scooped a shot wide before Greece substitute Georgia Chalatsogianni tested Griffin with a low strike.
Neill let fly from the edge of the area and Greek substitute keeper Styliani Katergiannaki did well to tip the ball over the bar. It was a great effort.
Griffin comfortably held a Sofia Karipidis header as the Greeks went in search of an equaliser. And the Greeks levelled when Chalatsogianni slipped past a defender and superbly curled the ball into the bottom corner on 70 minutes.
Substitute Aimee Kerr tested the Greek keeper, while Griffin pushed out a free-kick from Tsaroucha.
Greece grabbed their second in added time, Argyro Fakinou scoring with a low drive. And right at the death Fakino scored again to make it 3-1 to the visitors.
Full-time Northern Ireland WU19 1-3 Greece WU19
Northern Ireland WU19: Kaciee Griffin, Orleigha McGuinness, Sofie Keenan, Niamh O’Donnell, Abi Sweetlove, Sarah Tweedie (captain), Maeve McConaghy, Megan Neill, Keri Halliday, Aoibhe O’Neill, Naomi McLaughlin.
Substitutes: (used) Anastasija Stanyte, Rachel McIntyre, Aimee Kerr, Rhyleigh Marks, Tara Gilmore, Sophie Magee; (unused) Cerys Sharkey (GK), Faye Loughran, Kascie Weir, Tara Reilly.
Greece WU19: Sofia Mougiou, Melina Koukoulaki, Stefania Stergiouli, Christina Valkani, Sofia Karipidis, Athanasia Tsaroucha (captain), Argyro Fakinou, Niki Siafarika, Antonia Briana, Konstantina Kostopoulou, Rodanthi Aeraki.
Substitutes: Styliani Katergiannaki (GK), Dimitra Petaloti, Sofia Zagkli, Angeliki Panteri, Georgia Chalatsogianni, Angeliki Gkoufa, Stamatia Ntarzanou, Margarite Lazarakis, Amalia Kouroupis, Anastasia Sidiropoulou, Grace Koutsos, Eleni Tzintzoglou.
