25′ Promes’ pace causes issues down the left for Dallas. He hooks an unconventional cross across the six-yard box, forcing Peacock-Farrell to punch it away from danger.
24′ Babel drifts into a dangerous position down the left flank, but Dallas stops him sending in a cross. He has to go back to Blind for support, who then sends the ball straight out for a goal-kick due to a miscommunication with Promes.
22′ Van de Beek charges through the middle of the Ireland midfield on the counter. He has Babel in support and picks out the forward, only for the offside flag to be raised as the former Liverpool man takes control.
19′ Davis wins the ball back in midfield before finding Magennis, who then releases Whyte down the right flank. He whips a dangerous cross towards the penalty spot, but it just evades Saville attacking the delivery.
17′ WIDE! Promes probes with menace down the left before cutting inside to shoot on his right foot. He curls his effort towards the top-right corner, but it drifts wide of the target.
16′ SAVE! Blind gets behind Dallas down the left flank and this time he does find Babel in the middle. The forward latches on to the cross, only to scuff his effort straight at Peacock-Farrell.
15′ Blind runs down the left flank to offer an outlet for the visitors. He cuts a cross back towards Babel, but Jonny Evans is there to make the intervention in the box.
13′ Netherlands are looking to take the pace out of the game with a period of possession. It has been a frenetic opening 13 minutes at Windsor Park.
11′ De Roon is booked for a lunge on McNair in the middle of the park.
10′ OFF THE BAR! Promes surges down the left flank once again and this time he does find Berghius with his cutback. The forward scuffs his strike towards the target, but it loops up and strikes the bar before being cleared by Jonny Evans. O’Neill and his team breathe a sigh of relief.
9′ Promes runs at the Northern Ireland defence down the left flank and he sends a low cross into the box that Lewis clears ahead of Berghuis.
7′ BLOCK! McNair whips a free-kick into the box from the right flank and Cillessen fails to convincingly clear with his punch out. Saville collects and tries to force his strike through a crowd of bodies in the box, but De Ligt is well placed to deny the midfielder.
5′ CHANCE! McNair angles another cross into the box from the right flank and Magennis gets the march on Van Dijk. He connects with a glancing header that travels just wide of the left post. Northern Ireland are applying pressure in the early stages.
5′ WIDE! The home side win a corner down the right flank and McNair sends it into a dangerous area. Jonny Evans rises in the box to head at goal, but he places his header wide of the left post.
4′ CLOSE! Cillessen takes a huge risk at the back and almost costs Netherlands. He takes his time over a clearance and Corry Evans applies pressure. He makes the block, but it bounces away from goal and his pull back evades Magennis behind him before the visitors scamper the ball away.
2′ Dallas tries to cut back a cross into the box from the right flank, but Van Dijk is there to make the interception for the visitors.
1′ We’re underway at Windsor Park.
Northern Ireland have beaten Netherlands once in seven previous attempts (P7 W1 D2 L4) – a 2-1 victory at Windsor Park in March 1965 with goals from Johnny Crossan and Terry Neill.
Netherlands have made three changes to their side that beat Belarus last time out. Wijnaldum drops to the bench despite his brace in the win in Minsk as De Roon comes into the side. Babel and Berghuis start ahead of Donyell Marlen and Steven Bergwijn, with the two forwards sidelined due to injury.
Northern Ireland have made five changes to their side that started in their win over Czech Republic in their friendly clash last time out. Magennis returns to the lead the line, while Peacock-Farrell also comes back into the side between the sticks. Corry Evans and Lewis start in the full-back positions and Saville gets the nod to play in the heart of the midfield.
NETHERLANDS SUBS: Nathan Ake, Davy Propper, Calvin Stengs, Georginio Wijnaldum, Patrick van Aanholt, Jeroen Zoet, Wout Weghorst, Kevin Strootman, Myron Boadu, Luuk de Jong, Denzel Dumfries, Marco Bizot.
NETHERLANDS (4-3-3): Jasper Cillessen; Joel Veltman, Matthjis de Ligt, Virgil van Dijk, Danny Blind; Marten de Roon, Donny van de Beek, Frenkie de Jong; Steven Berghuis, Ryan Babel, Quincy Promes.
NORTHERN IRELAND SUBS: Conor McLaughlin, Tom Flanagan, Niall McGinn, Liam Boyce, Kyle Lafferty, Shane Ferguson, Michael McGovern, Jordan Thompson, Liam Donnelly, Michael Smith, Shayne Lavery, Trevor Carson.
NORTHERN IRELAND (4-3-3): Bailey Peacock-Farrell; Corry Evans, Craig Cathcart, Jonny Evans, Jamal Lewis; Paddy McNair, Steven Davis, George Saville; Stuart Dallas, Josh Magennis, Gavin Whyte.
Netherlands need only a point to secure their place in Euro 2020 following their triumphs over Northern Ireland and Belarus in the last round of fixtures. Georginio Wijnaldum’s brace guided them to victory on the road in Minsk after previously battling back from a goal down to overcome the Irish on home soil. The Oranje had been impressive in qualifying, losing only once to Germany back in March. Ronald Koeman’s men wil be looking to book their place in the competition next summer in style with three points tonight.
Northern Ireland need a positive result from tonight’s contest to keep their hopes of qualifying automatically for Euro 2020 alive. They’re three points off the pace of Netherlands and Germany in the top two spots with only one game remaining in Group C after the clash this evening. Michael O’Neill’s men have to either beat Netherlands or hope that Germany slip up in their match against Belarus to avoid going through the play-offs. Ireland lost the reverse fixture to Netherlands 3-1 despite taking the lead with 15 minutes to play. However, late strikes from Memphis Depay and Luuk de Jong snatched the three points for the Oranje. Despite their defeat in Rotterdam, their performance will have given O’Neill and his team confidence to beat their opponents in what could be his final game at Windsor Park.
Good evening and welcome to the live commentary of the Euro 2020 qualifying clash between Northern Ireland and Netherlands at Windsor Park.
M. de Roon
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