Good evening folks and welcome to live commentary of
Northern Ireland's crucial clash with
Romania at Windsor Park! The winners of tonight's clash will
sit top of Group F and be in with a great chance of qualifying for
Euro 2016.
Romania are one point clear of Northern Ireland at the moment, and
won 2-0 in the reverse clash last November thanks to a brace from defender Paul Papp. They are unbeaten so far in Group F and are confident of qualifying for their first major tournament in eight years.
Romania may have been one of the favourites to win the group, but nobody expected Northern Ireland to be their closest challengers. Michael O'Neill's men have taken the group by storm so far with four wins and just one defeat.
Team News: The teams are in from Belfast, and O'Neill has made two changes to the team which beat Finland 2-1 in March. Hamilton Academical goalkeeper Michael McGovern replaces the injured Roy Carroll, while Stuart Dallas starts on the wing. Romania have handed starts to Tottenham Hotspur defender Vlad Chiriches, and Northern Ireland's nemesis Paul Papp.
Northern Ireland: McGovern, C McLaughlin, J Evans, McAuley, Brunt, Baird, Davis, Norwood, Lafferty, Dallas, Ward.
Romania: Tatarusanu, Grigore, Chiriches, Lepsi, Papp, Chipciu, Pintilii, Maxim, Torje, Prepelita, Keseru.
There is a fair amount of attacking flair on the pitch for the home side with the likes of Steven Davis, Kyle Lafferty and Jamie Ward, but O'Neil's men have conceded just four goals in five group games and that is where their strengths lie.
Milestone: One of their back four is West Bromwich Albion's Chris Brunt, and he earns his 50th cap today. The left-footer can play all over the pitch, but he has settled neatly into a left-back role for his country in the last 12 months.
Brunt has the duty of protecting his goalkeeper, and Michael McGovern will hope for a gentle introduction to competitive international football. The 30-year-old has benefited from Roy Carroll's abdominal problem, and makes just his fourth appearance.
Romania also rely on a disciplined back four, but they are without the experienced Razvan Rat. Goals don't generally flow for the Eastern Europeans, but they boast the talented winger Alexandru Chipciu and are ranked 12th in the world.
To put that into perspective, Romania are ranked higher than both England and Italy, and just one place behind Spain. Northern Ireland are currently in 44th place.
Earlier today, Hungary put pressure on both teams with a
1-0 win over Finland. They now sit just one point behind Northern Ireland in the group, and travel to Windsor Park in September.
Remember that Euro 2016 will have 24 teams instead of the normal 16, meaning that the top two of each group automatically qualifies next summer.
Prediction: The atmosphere is electric in Belfast tonight and Romania have a really tough task on their hands. Although they lost to the visitors last year, there is a real sense of optimism tonight and we're going for a 2-1 home win.
The players are out for the national anthems...it's almost time!
KICKOFF! Northern Ireland get us underway at Windsor Park in front of a raucous crowd!
Romania have an early free kick after a foul by Jonny Evans, but Claudio Keseru blasts wide from 40 yards. It was a good strike, but McGovern had it covered.
Both sides have pushed their defences up high in order to congest the midfield. Whoever wins the battle in the middle of the park will have a great chance today, but it's rather scrappy so far.
Very sloppy from Gareth McAuley, who is too casual on the ball and is dispossessed. Keseru darts forward into the box but a superb sliding tackle from Steven Davis rescues the hosts.
Romania certainly do love a shot from distance as Torje finds space down the right and goes for glory from 30 yards. He mis-hits it though, and it swerves harmlessly wide.
Romania look shaky at the back as Northern Ireland pressurise their sluggish defenders. It almost works as Lafferty tries to intercept a wayward pass, but the visitors get away with it.
SHOT! The hosts earn a corner, and they try to replicate Paul Scholes's famous volley at Bradford from all those years ago. Instead, it's Chris Brunt who is lurking on the edge of the box and his volley hits two men and fails to test the keeper.
A series of Northern Ireland throw-ins down the right pins Romania into their own half, but Ward and McLaughlin fail to swing a cross into the box and the away side eventually clear.
SHOT! We have our first shot on target as the ball breaks for Lafferty 25 yards out. However, the in-form striker fails to get hold of the ball and it trickles through to Tatarusanu.
CHANCE! What a good chance this is for Romania! Torje picks the ball up around the half-way line and accelerates forward with terrific pace, skipping past three tackles. However, he delayed his shot on the edge of the box, and eventually layed it off for Keseru, who blazed it over
Referee Carlos Velasco is very quick on the whistle, as he penalises Brunt for a foul in the air and stops Northern Ireland from breaking forward through Ward. It's safe to say he hasn't endeared himself to the home fans.
Tatarusanu is a lucky boy in the Romania goal! He doesn't look comfortable with the ball at his feet, and almost gets charged down by Lafferty. The look on the striker's face suggests that he was very close to blocking the keepers' clearance and scoring a goal.
It is very windy at Windsor Park, and its not helping the hosts. They love to pump the ball forward in search of Lafferty, but it's being caught in the wind and keeps dropping short.
YELLOW CARD! Awful tackle from Mihai Pintilii, who dives in with his studs up on McLaughlin. The number eight decides to go down injured but that doesn't stop the referee from giving him a deserved booking when he gets up.
Pintilii is fine to carry on, and trots back on to the pitch to a chorus of boos. He's lucky the referee didn't send him off for his tackle.
CHANCE! Another good chance for Romania, and this time it falls to Chipciu who latches on to the end of a neat reverse pass inside the box. However, he slips at the wrong time and his shot is easily saved by McGovern.
Maxim earns another free kick inside the Irish half after a trip by McLaughlin on the left-hand side. However, McGovern stretches to take a fine catch from the deep in-swinging cross, and receives loud cheers from the crowd.
In the other Group F game tonight, Faroe Islands have taken a 1-0 lead over Greece through Hallur Hansson. The former European champions are bottom of the group and have yet to win a game.
SAVE! Great save by McGoven, who claws Keseru's in-swinging corner out of the danger zone. The ball looked destined for the back of the net before a fine reaction save.
SHOT! Finally Northern Ireland give the crowd something to shout about as Lafferty's long-range shot is deflected marginally wide. Incredibly the ref gives a goal kick, but some sustained pressure makes Romania wobble.
SAVE! After a poor half, Northern Ireland are finishing strongly and they come close to taking the lead. A Brunt corner is allowed to travel to the far post where Jonny Evans meets it. His diving header is destined for the top corner, but Tatarusanu pulls off an outstanding save to tip it over the bar.
HALF TIME! Romania have one last chance in this half from a free kick...but McAuley hacks it away. The referee decides to blow for half time and the crowd cheers as the green and white army trudge off.
We'll call this one a slow burner I think...It started off with both sides struggling to assert themselves, until Chipciu wasted the first real opening in the 32nd minute. After McGovern's fine save from Keseru's corner, the hosts improved and almost scored through Evans' header. Michael O'Neill will want his side to maintain the tempo they played with in the last five minutes, and if they do they will be hard to stop.
Romania looked better on the ball, and the likes of Maxim, Keseru and Chipciu proved to be dangerous. However, the 12th best team in the world should really be playing better and will feel that they should have created more chances with the possession they had.
If you want a neat summary of the game so far then check out our half-time report right
hereElsewhere in Europe, world champions Germany lead Gibraltar 1-0 thanks to a Andre Schurrle strike, although Bastian Schweinsteiger missed a penalty for the visitors. Denmark lead Serbia 1-0 despite a missed Daniel Agger penalty, while the Faroe Islands also lead 1-0 against Greece.
The players are back out and ready to start the second half!
KICK OFF! Romania get us underway again and immediately over-hit a pass out of play.
YELLOW CARD! Brilliant from Lafferty, who chases a lost cause into the corner and emerges with the ball. However, he's quickly sliced to the ground by a poor tackle from Sepsi.
CLOSE! Almost for Northern Ireland, as the free-kick falls to Stuart Dallas on the edge of the box. His first-time strike flashes inches past the post, leaving the goalkeeper stranded.
YELLOW CARD! It might be his 50th cap, but Chris Brunt is not immune from being booked. A poor challenge by the half-way line earns him a yellow card, and he doesn't complain.
Romania do not look comfortable with the wind in their faces. They've made mistake after mistake in the second half, and the home crowd sense something is coming.
SHOT! Another set-piece brings another Northern Ireland chance. Again a half-clearance falls to Dallas on the edge of the box, but this time he doesn't threaten the goal and it goes wildly over the bar.
SHOT! Romania enjoy their first real spell of possession of the half and they use it to probe and test Northern Ireland's defence. Eventually, the ball breaks for Torje outside the box and he lashes an effort horribly over the bar.
CHANCE! With the form he has shown so far in qualifying, you would expect Lafferty to gobble up this sort of chance. A whipped cross from Brunt is perfect for the striker, but he gets under the ball and heads it over from six yards!
SHOT! It's end-to-end stuff at the minute as Keseru finds space down the left-hand channel. He doesn't look up at goal, but unleashes a powerful drive. McGovern is right behind it though and makes a simple save.
SUBSTITUTE: Romania make the first change of the game and attacking midfielder Alexandru Chipciu is withdrawn. He's replaced by Bogdan Stancu, who has scored four goals in his last eight internationals.
CLOSE! Totally against the run of play, Romania come within inches of taking the lead! A mistake by the hosts lets Torje dart forward, weaving in between defenders. His shot takes a slight deflection and misses the post by inches.
Romania now look dangerous, and Stancu has certainly made a big difference. A draw might suit both teams, but they're not playing like it!
Opportunity for the hosts here as Sepsi concedes a foul on the edge of the box. The free kick in a good position, and Chris Brunt is eyeing it up!
Sadly for Brunt, he over-hits it and it flies over the bar.
There are a few worried faces on Northern Ireland's bench as Jonny Evans is seen limping. Kyle Lafferty also goes down holding his knee.
SUBSTITUTE! Romania make a second change as Keseru comes off to be replaced by striker Florin Andone.
There has been another goal in Group F, and unbelievably Greece are now losing 2-0 to the Faroe Islands. Brandur Olsen had added a second for the hosts.
Romanian goalkeeper Tatarusanu looks on in bewilderment as the home fans chuck a loo roll at him as he shapes up to take a goal kick...he moves it aside before booting the ball out of play on the full, much to the supporters delight.
SHOT! Another poor kick from Tatarusanu sets up another Irish chance. Some neat play between Ward and Oliver Norwood ends with the latter blazing the ball high over the bar from 20 yards.
YELLOW CARD! Torje is the latest man to enter the book for cynical pull back on Steven Davis.
SUBSTITUTE! Michael O'Neill makes a double change and immediately brings off the injured Jonny Evans. Craig Cathcart is on in his place, while Corry Evans replaces Jamie Ward.
We're now into the final 10 minutes at Windsor Park. Can either side find a winner?
CHANCE! Romania survive another Northern Ireland set-piece, but only just! Norwood's corner is cleared initially, but the second ball causes havoc. A whipped ball into the near post evades Lafferty by inches. It hits the keeper and pops up, but Davis can't capitalise from the edge of the box.
SAVE! Is that the closest we're going to get to a goal?? Kyle Lafferty has his head in his hands after missing a fine chance to score. He collects a pass inside the box, and hits the ball hard towards goal from 10 yards. However, it goes straight at Tatarusanu and he makes the save.
SAVE! The Romanian shot-stopper has had a tough night, but he makes another good save from Norwood's long-range strike. Can the hosts force a winner?
Romania have hardly ventured forward in the last 15 minutes, but they win a free kick on the edge of the box. Torje is over it...
But he hits it wildly over the bar...awful effort.
SUBSTUTUTE! Romania show their intentions as Maxim comes off for defender Gabriel Tamas.
The fourth official has added on three minutes!
SHOT! Chris Baird has never scored an international goal, and he shows why with a horrible slice over the bar from the edge of the box. That might just be that.
FULL TIME: NORTHERN IRELAND 0-0 ROMANIA
Indeed that was the last chance as the referee blows for full time. It may have finished 0-0, but the second half was very entertaining. Romania stay top of the group, but Northern Ireland have taken another step towards qualification. A good result all round.
Kyle Lafferty will not sleep well tonight. The striker had a glorious chance to win the game, but hit his close-range shot straight at the keeper. The result keepers the green and white army second in the group, two points clear of Hungary.
But Romania have shown us why they are top of the group once again! Some dogged defending has earned them another clean sheet and they stay a point clear. They were lucky at times, but certainly had their chances.
That's all from me tonight then folks. Thank you for joining me for that tense encounter. Remember to stick with Sports Mole for the rest of the night as we bring you all the news, views and reaction from all the games tonight. I'm off to cover the Copa America so I'll see you very shortly. Good night.
