Page 6 - Women's Soccer Scene Issue No.13 2021-22

Record away win for Northern Ireland

North Macedonia 0 Northern Ireland 11
Northern Ireland were relentless in the first instalment of their World Cup qualifiers double
header against North Macedonia. Kenny Shiels’ side were simply superb as they claimed
another three points in European Qualifying Group D with an 11-0 victory in Skopje this
afternoon.
Four goals from Simone Magill, a hat-trick from Rachel Furness and goals from Rebecca
McKenna, Lauren Wade, Kirsty McGuinness and Rebecca Holloway secured the sensational win.
It was the Northern Ireland senior women’s team’s biggest ever away victory – and
Furness’ hat-trick meant she equalled David Healy’s goalscoring record for Northern Ireland.
The midfielder now has 36 goals for her country.
Shiels’ team completely dominated proceedings at the Football Federation of North
Macedonia Training Centre. They were 7-0 up by half-time.
The early action saw a decent delivery from Demi Vance headed clear. Her next cross,
however, was more effective. Her pinpoint delivery to the back post found Furness and she
tucked the ball home from close range to make it 1-0 in the fourth minute.
Another cross from Vance across the face of goal was met by McKenna whose low shot
was blocked by the home defence.
On ten minutes, Wade broke down the right and fed the ball back to McKenna who
blasted it into the top corner. It was a lovely finish to put Northern Ireland two up.
At this stage it was all Northern Ireland, and the third goal followed a minute later. This
time Furness fed Magill inside the area and she slammed the ball into the bottom corner.
In the 16th minute Furness was hauled down inside the area by North Macedonia
midfielder Elma Shemsovikj and she brushed herself down to slot the resulting penalty past
keeper Magdalena Lekovska to make it 4-0.
Skipper Marissa Callaghan fired an effort against the bar before Northern Ireland were
awarded another penalty when Viktorija Nedeva fouled McGuinness inside the area on 23
minutes. This time, however, Lekovska was equal to a tame effort from Furness.
Furness then fired a shot wide, but Northern Ireland’s fifth came soon after when a
Holloway cross eventually found its way to Wade who curled a beautiful effort into the top
corner from 16 yards.
That goal came in the 26th minute and goal number six followed seven minutes later.
Holloway slipped in McGuinness down the left and from an angle she slotted the ball into the
bottom corner.
Magill grabbed her second of the game on 42 minutes. Holloway was once again the
provider. She slipped past a couple of markers and crossed for the striker to cleverly tap the ball
home from close range.
Rachel McLaren made her senior debut after replacing Crusaders Strikers team mate
Julie Nelson at half-time, while Chloe McCarron came on for Callaghan.
North Macedonia, who were without a few key players, never got going, although
Northern Ireland rarely let them out of their half as they pushed forward time after time.
Early in the second half Wade let fly from the edge of the area and was unlucky to see her
effort cannon off the bar, and a minute later Furness saw her long range effort tipped on to the
bar by Lekovska.
McKenna dragged a shot wide, a Vance cross dropped on to the top of the net and
Lekovska pushed away a Furness header as the girls in green and white continued to apply
pressure.
Furness completed her hat-trick in the 68th minute. A McGuinness cross bobbled
around the box and eventually the ball fell to the midfielder 10 yards out and she rifled it home.
Issue no. 13 - 25 November 2021 womenssoccerscene@mail.com