Northern Ireland’s men’s and women’s teams both failed to reach the semi-finals at the Homeless World Cup 2024.
Lithuania proved too strong for the men’s team in their last eight contest in the main men’s trophy competition earlier today.
And Poland got the better of Team NI in the quarter-finals of the main women’s trophy competition.
Team NI’s two teams are among more than 50 four-a-side teams currently taking part in the event, which is being staged at Seoul’s Hanyang University in South Korea.
The men’s team, who finished second in Group C in the qualifying group stage, performed admirably against the Lithuanians, who topped Group D in qualifying.
However, their eastern European opponents were just too powerful and ran out winners on a 6-2 scoreline.
The women’s team gave a good account of themselves against Poland in their quarter-final, however the Poles won the game by four goals to two.
Subsequently both Northern Ireland teams took part in matches to determine overall placings.
Last year the men’s team finished eighth overall out of 28 teams at the Homeless World Cup - it was staged in Sacramento, USA - and in doing so they registered Northern Ireland’s highest ever overall position at the annual tournament. Their previous best was 12th in 2017.
This year they can go one better as they have reached the play-off for seventh and eighth place out of 36 teams.
That game takes place tomorrow (28 September) – and they will be facing Republic of Ireland.
In the games earlier today to determine who would play for 5th/6th and 7th/8th Team NI were involved in a real ding-dong battle with Portugal.
There were goals galore, however the Portuguese eventually won by seven goals to six.
The Republic, who finished second in Group D in the qualifying group stage, came up against USA and lost 3-1. Prior to that they were beaten 7-1 by Indonesia in the quarter-finals.
Tomorrow’s derby game is due to kick off at Hanyang University at 07:05 BST.
Before that the women’s team will also be involved in a seventh/eighth place play-off.
In the games earlier today to determine who would play for 5th/6th and 7th/8th (out of 16 teams) Team NI were defeated 2-1 by India.
The women’s team will now face France in Seoul tomorrow (06:40 BST) – and it will be the third time they have met the French at the tournament.
In stage one of the competition they defeated France 4-3. In the second stage the teams drew 5-5, however Northern Ireland won a penalty shootout to secure an extra point.
France were defeated 8-3 by Mexico in the quarter-finals and then lost 8-2 against Kenya in their next game.
The men’s final at Homeless World Cup 2024 will see Mexico take on England. And the women’s final will be between Romania and Mexico. Both games are also being staged tomorrow.
Street Soccer NI, a charity working with the homeless and disadvantaged groups across Northern Ireland, has put the Northern Ireland teams together. The teams are being supported this year by Simon Community NI, Choice Housing, Irish FA Foundation and others.
Image: The players representing Team NI in Seoul had a send-off at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park before travelling to South Korea.
