Portugal 1-1 Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland produced a heroic
display to secure a shock point
against Portugal in their World Cup
qualifier.
Niall McGinn gave the visitors the lead
when he chipped the ball over
goalkeeper Rui Patricio after good work
by Jonny Evans and Kyle Lafferty.
The Portuguese dominated the game
but Northern Ireland defended stoutly
until Helder Postiga turned and struck
home the equaliser after 79 minutes.
The result will rank as one of Northern
Ireland's best-ever away performances.
Portugal, who are ranked third in the
world, had several chances to level but
Michael O'Neill's side held on to earn a
deserved draw.
Northern Ireland came into the game
with a poor record of just one win in
their last 18 matches and two victories
in their last 29, but had the backing of
almost 1,200 supporters in the Dragao
Stadium in Porto.
O'Neill made four changes from the
side that drew 1-1 with Luxembourg
last month, with Craig Cathcart, Oliver
Norwood, Corry Evans and Niall McGinn
coming into the team.
Three of the changes were enforced as
Gareth McAuley was suspended and
Chris Brunt and Shane Ferguson
injured, while Dean Shiels dropped to
the bench.
Portugal boasted six points from their
opening three qualifying fixtures, but
were keen to return to winning ways
after suffering a 1-0 defeat to Russia in
Moscow on Friday.
The Portuguse started the match
brightly and Postiga just failed to get a
touch after Miguel Lopes fired the ball
into the penalty area.
Cristiano Ronaldo, winning his 100th
cap, fired a right-foot effort just wide
soon after.
Northern Ireland came more into the
game and Norwood's low, 25-yard free-
kick went into the arms of Rui Patricio.
The visitors took a shock, yet deserved
lead, on the half hour when Evans
played the ball forward to Lafferty, who
found McGinn.
The Aberdeen winger took one touch
before chipping the ball over the
advancing home goalkeeper for his first
international goal.
Norwood then attempted a cheeky lob
over the head of Rui Patricio, but the
keeper managed to retreat just in time
to collect the ball.
At the other end, Cathcart almost
scored an own-goal as the ball
ricocheted off his leg on to the bar,
while Joao Pereira shot wide as the
Euro 2012 semi-finalists began to pile
on the pressure.
Some heroic defending saw O'Neill's
side go in ahead at half-time, but
Portugal came close at the start of the
second period when Ruben Micael's
long-range strike went narrowly over
the bar.
Postiga forced Northern Ireland keeper
Roy Carroll into a save, but the flag was
already up for offside, and then
Ronaldo met Nani's cross but Carroll
was equal to the task as he saved the
Real Madrid forward's shot with his
legs.
The Olympiakos goalkeeper was again
called into action to palm away a fierce
drive from substitute Ruben Amorim,
while Steven Davis skewed the ball over
his own bar as the desperate rearguard
action continued.
Ronaldo closed in on goal again but
Aaron Hughes made a crucial block to
deny the striker a 38th international
goal.
Carroll twice denied Postiga, but the
striker found the net 11 minutes from
time when the ball fell to him in the
area and he whipped the ball into the
back of the net from close range.
In the closing minutes, Carroll made yet
another fine stop from Silvestre Varela,
Nani fired inches wide and the
outstanding Evans made a vital
intervention to clear Eder's dangerous
cross into the area.
Northern Ireland have two points from
their opening three fixtures and face
Azerbaijan in their next qualifying game
in Belfast on 14 November.