Northern Ireland cemented second place in their UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 qualifying group with a solid 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Going in to the qualifier Tanya Oxtoby’s side were neck and neck with the Bosnians in League B Group 3 – on seven points and just ahead of them on goal difference.
But second half goals from midfielder Joely Andrews and substitute Lauren Wade ensured Northern Ireland finished second in the group behind Portugal with 10 points from six games.
Oxtoby’s team had already secured a place in the play-offs for Women’s Euro 2025 by defeating Malta away on Friday, however tonight’s win means they could be seeded for the first instalment of two rounds of play-offs. The draw for those play-offs is being held at UEFA headquarters in Nyon on Friday.
The Northern Ireland manager made two changes from the team that started the 2-0 win against Malta, Joely Andrews and Danielle Maxwell coming in and Nadene Caldwell and Louise McDaniel dropping out.
The first chance in the game in front of just over 2000 fans at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park fell to Bosnian attacker Emina Ekic, but she fired her shot wide.
Then Northern Ireland forward Keri Halliday let fly from distance, her effort going just past the upright.
Captain Laura Rafferty met a Rebecca Holloway delivery from a corner, however her header went wide.
Ekic fired the ball into the side netting as the visitors pushed forward. Her low shot deflected off Rafferty’s foot, and that took the sting out of it.
The lively Casey Howe delivered a cross to the back post where Maxwell headed the ball back across goal. It dropped towards the bottom corner and Bosnian keeper Almina Hodzic had to push it out for a corner.
Maja Jelcic had a couple of efforts for the visitors before Howe fired a shot straight at Hodzic from 25 yards.
On the stroke of half-time Andrews hit the bar with a sweetly struck shot, and moments later a Holloway blaster was pushed away by the Bosnian keeper.
Northern Ireland took the lead on 47 minutes. Howe made a powerful run down the left flank and squared the ball to Andrews who made no mistake from six yards.
A dangerous Holloway corner was headed clear at the front post before Northern Ireland extended their lead on 67 minutes.
A Brenna McPartlan through ball clipped a Bosnian defender and fell to substitute Lauren Wade who raced forward to tuck the ball home from 12 yards. It was a great finish.
Bosnia and Herzegovina captain Milena Nikolic fired a long range effort past the upright as the visitors tried to claw their way back into the game.
Kerry Beattie, who scored with a fine header in the game against Malta, met a Rachel Dugdale cross but could only steer her header wide of the target this time.
Northern Ireland keeper Jackie Burns, who before kick-off was presented with a shirt to mark her reaching the 50-cap milestone last month, tipped an Ena Sabanagic shot from distance over the bar.
After that she also punched a tantalising cross from Marija Milinkovic away from the danger area.
However, by that stage Oxtoby’s side had done more than enough to register a deserved win.
Northern Ireland: Jackie Burns, Rebecca McKenna, Rachel Dugdale, Rebecca Holloway, Laura Rafferty (captain), Brenna McPartlan, Casey Howe, Joely Andrews, Kerry Beattie, Keri Halliday, Danielle Maxwell.
Substitutes: (used) Lauren Wade, Nadene Caldwell, Emily Wilson; (unused) Lauren Perry, Maddy Harvey-Clifford, Demi Vance, Chloe McCarron, Marissa Callaghan, Simone Magill, Kelsie Burrows, Louise McDaniel, Caragh Hamilton.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Almina Hodzic, Selma Kapetanovic, Gloria Sliskovic, Amela Krso, Marija Milinkovic, Melisa Hasanbegovic, Dajana Spasojevic, Marija Aleksic, Milena Nikolic (captain), Emina Ekic, Maja Jelcic.
Substitutes: (used) Ena Sabanagic, Minela Gacanica, Elma Husic, Emma Veletanlic, Andrea Cule; (unused) Envera Hasanbegovic (GK), Nikolina Todoric, Maja Hrelja, Alma Krajnic,Tasneem Dizdarevic, Elma Smajic, Aida Hadzic.
Action from National Stadium
