Northern Ireland’s senior women’s team defeated Romania in a UEFA Women’s Nations League game in Belfast tonight.
A well worked goal after just eight minutes from 18-year-old striker Kascie Weir was enough to secure a 1-0 victory for Tanya Oxtoby’s team.
Northern Ireland had the better chances in the game at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park and deserved their success.
The Northern Ireland line-up for the League B Group 1 encounter showed four changes from the side that started the 1-1 draw between the two teams in Bucharest on Friday.
Caragh Hamilton, who was given the captain’s armband as she earned her 50th cap, Nadene Caldwell, Keri Halliday and Kascie Weir came in for Rachel Dugdale, Megan Bell, Danielle Maxwell and Lauren Wade.
Romania, by contrast, made only one change to their starting eleven for part two of this month’s UWNL double header, Ioana Balaceanu coming in for Carmen Marcu in the middle of the park.
The first chance of the game saw Romania defender Ana Maria Stanciu place a header wide as a free-kick was deflected into her path.
Northern Ireland opened the scoring in the eighth minute. Brenna McPartlan’s pinpoint pass found Halliday down the right flank and she fired the ball into the area where it was stroked home by Weir. It was her first senior international goal.
Oxtoby’s side continued to push forward, with Halliday, Simone Magill and Weir running hard at the Romanian defence with support from Joely Andrews and Hamilton.
Northern Ireland forced a series of corners, putting the visitors on the back foot. Romania keeper Andreea Paraluta dealt with some of the deliveries well but looked a tad uncomfortable when dealing with a couple of them.
Ellie Mason let fly from distance, however her shot drifted wide of the target.
On 41 minutes Northern Ireland keeper Jackie Burns punched away a free-kick from midfielder Stefania Vatafu but was clattered in the process. The ball fell to Romania captain Florentina Olar who blasted it towards goal as Burns lay on the deck but Mason was on hand to clear it off the line.
Four minutes later Burns had to be on her toes to push over a rising shot from Olar, who had been teed up by Vatafu.
At the start of the second half Rebecca McKenna had a goal-bound shot blocked and then Mason blasted a shot towards goal which was pushed out by the Romanian keeper for a corner.
Weir slipped the ball towards Magill, who just failed to connect with the ball in a dangerous area.
A loose ball inside the area was pounced upon by Romania striker Cristina Carp. She drilled in a shot but Burns produced a solid save.
A McPartlan shot sailed over the bar as Northern Ireland pushed forward. On 74 minutes substitute Connie Scofield had a shot blocked, while another crisp delivery from Mason was punched away by Paraluta.
In the 81st minute Scofield stung the palms of the Romanian keeper with a rasping drive.
Six minutes later another substitute, Natalie Johnson, jinked her way past a couple of defenders but her shot was headed clear by Stanciu. And then substitute Danielle Maxwell had an effort blocked.
In added time Mihaela Ciolacu, who scored the Romanians’ goal on Friday, got in behind the home defence and bore down on goal, however her shot was well saved by Burns.
Substitute Lauren Wade then let fly at the other end, but her snapshot was saved, and that was the last of the action.
The result means Northern Ireland stay in second place in B1 with seven points from four games. Poland are top with 10 points after they drew 1-1 with third-placed Bosnia and Herzegovina (four points) in Zenica tonight. Romania remain rooted to the bottom with a single point.
Northern Ireland’s final games in the group are at home to Poland on Friday 30 May and away to the Bosnians on Tuesday 3 June.
Northern Ireland: Jackie Burns, Rebecca McKenna, Rebecca Holloway, Ellie Mason, Nadene Caldwell, Brenna McPartlan, Caragh Hamilton (captain), Joely Andrews, Simone Magill, Keri Halliday, Kascie Weir.
Substitutes: (used) Natalie Johnson, Connie Scofield, Danielle Maxwell, Lauren Wade; (unused) Rachael Norney, Maddy Harvey-Clifford, Rachel Furness, Kelsie Burrows, Aimee Kerr, Louise McDaniel, Emily Wilson, Abi Sweetlove.
Romania: Andreea Paraluta, Teodora Nicoara, Erika Gered, Ana Maria Stanciu, Maria Ficzay, Florentina Olar (captain), Ioana Balaceanu, Ioana Bortan, Cristina Carp, Stefania Vatafu, Mihaela Ciolacu.
Substitutes: (used) Olga Iordachiusi, Carmen Marcu, Adina Borodi; (unused) Camelia Ceasar (GK), Reka Tanko (GK), Sonia Bumbar, Elena Vasile, Andrea Herczeg, Anita Kis, Claudia Bistrian, Antonia Bratu, Anita Antal.
Action from National Stadium
