Michael O’Neill admitted poor defending value Northern Eire pricey in a dangerous 4-2 defeat to Slovenia nevertheless it was one other recreation of wonderful margins in Ljubljana.
Northern Eire ended the evening having created extra possibilities than their hosts however on the unsuitable finish of the scoreline as they struggled to include Slovenia’s strike pairing of Benjamin Sesko and Andraz Sporar.
Isaac Worth’s first worldwide purpose had cancelled out Sporar’s third-minute strike however all too shortly Northern Eire had been behind once more when Petar Stojanovic’s strike deflected off Jonny Evans within the seventeenth minute, with Sesko giving Slovenia respiratory house earlier than the break.
Though Evans received O’Neill’s aspect again into it within the 53rd minute, nearly instantly Sporar settled it to ship what is unquestionably a deadly blow to Northern Eire’s hopes of progressing from Group H as they misplaced for a fourth straight match.
However though they conceded 4, O’Neill may very well be proud of the attacking intent confirmed by his aspect, with Conor McMenamin carrying the risk after getting the nod on the correct wing.
“It was a recreation filled with incident clearly, six objectives,” O’Neill mentioned. “I assumed we performed very properly within the recreation. We defended poorly at instances, we struggled to take care of Sesko and Sporar who we knew can be the most important risk and so they proved to be that.
“However we did lots of good issues within the recreation. A number of the attacking play was very superb, we created lots of possibilities and that was one of the best attacking play we’ve had within the marketing campaign to date. Taking part in with two wingers helped us with the possibilities we created.
“Essentially the most disappointing factor within the recreation is how we managed the interval within the recreation from 1-1 to 2-1, I believe that was the interval the place we wanted to be steady and we weren’t. Additionally from 3-2 to 4-2, we conceded too early after the sport went to 3-2.
“We had been looking for a approach again within the final quarter-hour and requested some questions and once more the goalkeeper makes two or three good saves. It was an open recreation. I used to be disenchanted to lose the sport however happy with lots of features, a few of the youthful gamers had been terrific.”
There have been late possibilities for McMenamin and substitutes Josh Magennis and Paul Smyth, however though Northern Eire had extra possession and extra possibilities than their hosts, they lacked the kind of firepower supplied by RB Leipzig’s Sesko and Sporar of Panathinaikos.
After popping out on the unsuitable finish of three consecutive 1-0 defeats, this was a really completely different outcome, however an analogous story of Northern Eire not being outplayed.
“The most important distinction within the recreation was in all probability the entrance two,” O’Neill mentioned. “It’s an enormous a part of the group. I don’t assume we noticed quite a bit between the groups on the evening however they had been scientific.
“Each Sorpar and Sesko had been a risk all evening. A few of our gamers had been glorious as properly and the possibilities we created, we’re in all probability disenchanted we solely scored twice within the recreation. We have now to simply accept the defeat and transfer on.”
McMenamin was the brightest spark, with the 28-year-old displaying the arrogance gained from his summer time transfer from Glentoran to St Mirren.
“Conor had an incredible recreation, he was very, very optimistic from the outset,” O’Neill mentioned. “He’s a participant who has come late to worldwide soccer, late to skilled soccer.
“In the summertime he received his first transfer into the Scottish Premiership and I believe he’s made nice strides within the house of six to eight weeks he’s been within the there so there’s much more in Conor.”