Northern Ireland will hope the visit of San Marino to Windsor Park on Saturday is the opportunity they need to end their long losing run in Euro 2024 qualifying.
Here, the PA news agency looks at the key talking points ahead of the game.
Back to the start
A must-win game
The boss wants his team to put on a great performance for the sold out crowd in Belfast against San Marino tomorrow ?️?? #GAWA pic.twitter.com/pMVcWsdcen
— Northern Ireland (@NorthernIreland) October 13, 2023
Qualification is now beyond them but the visit of San Marino is a must-win game for Northern Ireland, who have the opportunity to reset the narrative of this campaign and deliver a performance in front of the Windsor Park crowd. Even with their problems, anything short of a victory at home against the traditional whipping boys of European football would nudge a struggling team towards a crisis.
Home doubleheader
Marshall’s moment?
Euro 2028
? @UEFA EURO 2028 is coming to @NorthernIreland ?#UKIreland2028 pic.twitter.com/PUe9I7OUEC
— Irish FA (@IrishFA) October 10, 2023
This might be the Euro 2024 qualifying campaign but after UEFA confirmed this week that the 2028 edition will be hosted by the United Kingdom and Ireland, there has been talk all week of Northern Ireland potentially getting the opportunity to play on home soil in five years’ time. O’Neill is about the only person not keen to get involved – he has more pressing concerns as he tries to mould a young squad into one that might be more competitive by then – but there is now a massive carrot dangling for Northern Ireland’s players. “It’s a big thing that’s going to be coming here, it’s fantastic,” said the 35-year-old Jonny Evans. “Who knows? I might still be knocking about.”
