Northern Ireland crash in Slovakia

7:07pm Saturday 6th September 2008

Nigel Worthington saw his Northern Ireland side give a lung-bursting display in the Slovakian sun but they had nothing to show for their efforts at the end of it.

Instead the province were left to reflect on a 2-1 World Cup qualifying defeat.

Goals from Martin Skrtel and Marek Hamsik put Slovakia in the driving seat before Northern Ireland were thrown a lifeline in the 81st minute. Jan Durica diverted a cross from substitute Chris Brunt into his own net but that was as good as it got for Worthington's side.

Northern Ireland made a bright start and David Healy stated his intentions as early as the seventh minute when he tried his luck on goal, only to see his effort deflected to safety.

The hosts again found themselves on the back foot when Chris Baird got on the end of Keith Gillespie's corner but headed wide.

Slovakia thought they had taken the lead two minutes later when Martin Jakubko found the corner of the net with a glancing header. However, his effort was ruled out for offside and Northern Ireland breathed a sigh of relief.

There was another scare for Worthington in the 39th minute when goalkeeper Maik Taylor flapped at a long ball and almost diverted it into his own net. In the end he was just grateful to concede a corner.

But Northern Ireland found themselves a goal down in the 46th minute when Skrtel peeled away from his marker and headed the ball beyond Taylor following a curling free-kick from Marek Sapara.

The visitors then had loud appeals for a penalty dismissed after a shot from Baird appeared to be handled in the 69th minute before the home side doubled their lead through Hamsik.

Chris Brunt tried his luck from distance in the 80th minute but his effort flew high over the crossbar. A minute later Northern Ireland grabbed a lifeline thanks to an own goal from Durica, who diverted a cross from Brunt into his own net, but it proved to be no more than a consolation.

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