Northern Ireland’s Men’s Under-21s narrowly lost 1-0 against Ukraine U20s in Turkey today.
It was the second of three friendlies being staged in Turkey’s Antalya Province this month.
For the game at the Bellis Deluxe Centre in Belek U21s boss Tommy Wright made eight changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Moldova’s U21s in the first friendly.
Stephen McMullan replaced Fraser Barnsley in nets, while Conor Barr, Bayley McCann, Aodhan Doherty, Darren Robinson, Liam McStravick, Conor Falls and Sam Glenfield were also promoted to the starting 11.
Dropping to the bench along with Barnsley were Shea Kearney, Matty Carson, Sam Inwood, Matthew Orr, Makenzie Kirk, Rio Oudnie-Morgan and Fra Turley.
Both defences were on top in the first half, with very few chances created. In fact that was largely the pattern of the game. And throughout the 90-plus minutes the Northern Ireland players were on the receiving end of some rather rugged challenges.
In the first minute Ukraine winger Artur Shakh drifted unmarked into the area and got on the end of a dangerous cross, however he could only guide his header wide of the post.
Both sides enjoyed periods of possession but found it hard to break through rigid defensive lines.
On 34 minutes Conor Falls produced a scooped shot which was comfortably collected by Ukraine keeper Illia Voloshyn.
Minutes later Liam McStravick cleverly jinked his way past a couple of defenders down the right flank and delivered a lovely pinpoint cross into the six-yard box to Falls, however his header flashed past the post.
Just before the interval a Jamie McDonnell header was on target but Voloshyn held on to the ball.
After the break Aodhan Doherty miscued when well placed to test the Ukrainian keeper.
Ukraine took the lead in the 50th minute. A defensive header from Tommy Fogarty fell to Ivan Chaban 20 yards out and he rifled the ball into the bottom corner. It was a sweet strike.
Ten minutes later a Falls header was just off target, while Fogarty put a header over the top.
On 77 minutes Northern Ireland keeper Stephen McMullan got down well to smother a dangerous cross from Ukraine substitute Anton Drozd.
Three minutes later substitute Rio Oudnie-Morgan was blocked off by two Ukrainian defenders as he looked to get a shot away.
Another Northern Ireland substitute, Makenzie Kirk, then raced towards goal but his rising shot went well over the bar.
The final action of the game saw McMullan comfortably hold on to a shot from Ukraine substitute Matvii Ponomarenko.
The U21s will be back at the same venue on Tuesday (25 March) for their third and final friendly – against Uzbekistan U21s. It is scheduled to kick off at 5pm local time.
Northern Ireland U21s: Stephen McMullan, Conor Barr, Bayley McCann, Jamie McDonnell, Tommy Fogarty, Aodhan Doherty, Darren Robinson, Patrick Kelly (captain), Sam Glenfield, Conor Falls, Liam McStravick.
Substitutes: Mason Munn (GK), Fraser Barnsley (GK), Shea Kearney, Matty Carson, Sam Inwood, Matthew Orr, Makenzie Kirk, Rio Oudnie-Morgan, Fra Turley, Rhys Walsh, Max Wilson, Tom Atcheson.
Ukraine U20s: Illia Voloshyn, Oleksiy Gusiev, Mykola Kyrychok, Mykola Oharkov, Bogdan Budko, Artur Shakh, Ivan Chaban, Fedir Zadorozhnyi, Ramik Hadzhyiev, Kyrylo Dihtiar, Maksym Melnychenko.
Substitutes: Maksym Voronov (GK), Vladyslav Zakharchenko, Ivan Yermachkov, Anton Drozd, Daniil Vashchenko, Matvii Ponomarenko, Andrii Matkevych, Dmytro Hodia, Daniel Vernattus, Roman Salenko, Yaroslav Karaman.
