World Soccer - UK (2020-12)

Overview
With both countries reaching this play-
off final on the back of passing the
penalty shoot-out test, each camp will
be convinced that the momentum is
with them, that this is their moment.
Despite hailing from two distinct football
cultures, these two nations have a great
deal in common on the field of play:
character and desire, gritty resilience
under pressure and solid organisation.
Here are two sets of players who know
how to dig in and battle in adverse
circumstances. The respective coaches
(Northern Ireland’s rookie boss Ian
Baraclough and Slovakia’s Pavel Hapal)
essentially are details men. Baraclough
amply demonstrated his scrupulous
mind in the semi-final win against
Bosnia & Herzegovina, rewarded for
bringing on penalty-kick experts Liam
Boyce and Conor Washington in the
final minute of extra-time. In Northern
Ireland’s first-ever shoot-out, both
substitutes duly converted.
Slovakia, who knocked out the
Republic of Ireland in their own penalty
shoot-out drama, will take heart from
the last time they travelled to Belfast
for a competitive fixture, winning 2-0
in a 2010 World Cup qualifier. In four
clashes in all, the Slovaks have won
two games, with one victory for
the Ulsterman and one draw.

Northern Ireland v Slovakia

through the dancing feet of Hamsik –

the country’s most-capped player and

all-time top goalscorer – while Davis,

now plying his trade with Rangers in

his fourth spell with the Scottish giants

(including loans), is equally vital to the

Green and White Army’s cause. He is

rarely given sufficient credit for his wide

skill-set: his ball-winning ability, bravery

on the ball and tempo-controlling skills.

Davis recently appeared in his121st

international, thus overtaking legendary

goalkeeper PatJennings as the

country’s most-capped player.

Talking point

Two of Slovakia’s most influential

players, Internazionale stopper Milan

Skriniar and Napoli midfielder Stanislav

Lobotka missed the semi-final win over

the Republic of Ireland because of

COVID-19 protocols. If the pair are

available in Belfast, the Slovak spine

will be all the stronger for it. Northern

Ireland’s number one concern is their

lack of a prime-time finisher. The likes

ofJosh Magennis, Boyce, Washington

and Kyle Lafferty are all industrious,

willing to go that extra mile, but sadly

have their limitations too. Do not be

surprised if this goes all the way and

ends up being decided by yet another

penalty shoot-out showdown.

WORLD SERVICE

Key battle

The outcome of the central midfield

face-to-face pitting Slovakia skipper

Marek Hamsik against his Northern Irish

counterpart Steven Davis could go a

long way to deciding the tie. The bulk

of Slovakia’s creative impulses come

EURO 2020 PLAY-OFFS PREVIEW | PATH B

Playmaker...Marek Hamsik

Penalty king...

Dallas scores for

Northern Ireland

in the semi-final