Euro 2022 Qualifier Report: Northern Ireland 5 - 1 Faroe Islands

Joshua Bunting reports from Seaview

Northern Ireland made history as they reached the playoffs for Euro 2022 for the first time in their history after a 5-1 win over the Faroe Island's on Tuesday evening at Seaview. 

The Faroe Island's took the lead after just five minutes when a shot came in and took a deflection before rolling across the box and Jensa Kannuberg Torolvsdottir was found in space and unmarked before tapping into the empty net beyond Jacqueline Burns.

However, Kenny Shiels Northern Ireland squad responded perfectly and were level just two minutes later when Chloe McCarron's corner was palmed away by Oluva Joensen and Rachel Furness bundled the ball over the line for the equaliser for her 30th international goal. 

Northern Ireland were then starting to find their stride as Julie Nelson played a long ball to Kirsty McGuinness who headed the ball across goal for Emily Wilson but the young strikers effort was saved by Joensen down low. 

Kirsty McGuinness who opened the scoring against Belarus on Friday then turned the game on its head as Lauren Wade did magnificently well to drive forward and find the Sion Swifts star before she curled her effort into the top corner of the net for 2-1. 

Chloe McCarron was putting in strong performance for the home side moving the ball really quickly and breaking up the Faroe Island's play as they tried to play through the midfield and hit Shiels side on the counter-attack. 

Northern Ireland started the second half bright and Furness was straight in the thick of the action as her effort took a deflection off Birita Ryan and into the hands of the keeper. 

Wade then made a fantastic run forward to cross for McGuinness who flicked her effort towards goal, but it was kept out by the keeper and Marissa Callaghan fired wide when she should have scored. 

Furness then had a shot on goal from the edge of the area, but her effort was blocked by Elisabet Vang as Northern Ireland's handball appeals were waved away. 

However, it was 3-1 in the 56th minute when Chloe McCarron fired in a stunning looping effort from outside the box over the scrambling Joensen and into the net for her second international goal. 

Shiels then made double change on 64 minutes bringing off Wilson and Ashley Hutton and replacing them with Caitlin McGuinness and Samantha Kelly. 

Caitlin McGuinness then nearly linked up with her sister Kirsty instantly as the first two sisters to ever share a pitch for Northern Ireland at the same time as Catlin's low cross was inches away from being turned in by Kirsty at the back-post. 

Kelly then nearly had a goal to celebrate as she fired in a shot from just outside the box but Joensen did really well to react and tip it over the crossbar. 

However, it was then 4-1 on 77 minutes as Furness hit a powerful shot and it fell to McGuinness and she found the back of the net smashing a half-volley beyond the reach of the diving Joensen. 

It was then 5-1 in the 86th minute when Furness grabbed her second of the night when the Liverpool midfielder met a corner from Kirsty McGuinness to flick the ball into the net to complete the scoring. 

Boss Shiels said after the final whistle: “This marks as one of my finest achievements in football, we have players from Sion Swifts, Glentoran, Linfield and Crusaders and other Irish league clubs taking on players from Arsenal, Barcelona and other top European clubs.

“I'm very proud of the players they worked through hard throughout the campaign we learnt against some of the best teams such as Norway and Wales who had a number of WSL players and we went toe to toe with them.

“We are constantly learning, and I'm delighted to secure a place in the playoffs.”

Northern Ireland: Burns, Hutton (Kelly 65 mins), Nelson, McFadden, Caldwell, McCarron, Callaghan (Finnegan 86 mins), Furness, Wade (Maxwell 86 mins), Wilson (C McGuinness 65 mins), K McGuinness.

Faroe Islands: Joensen, Jacobsen (Fridriksmork 89 mins), Langgaard, Ryan, A. Johannesen, Vang, Torolvsdottir, Lamhauge (Hummeland 87 mins), Djurhuus (Mittfoss 87 mins), Mortensen (Rasmusdottir 71 mins), Hansen (Lisberg 71 mins).

Referee: Hristiyana Guteva (Bulgaria).