Latvia 1 Northern Ireland 0: If Steve Staunton's players kick themselves black and blue on the trip from Bratislava to Prague, then Nigel Worthington's squad from the North arrived in Reyjavik yesterday equally bruised. The lack of chances created for David Healy in this drab performance in Riga may have been one of the central issues afterwards, but no one was in doubt that this was a potentially decisive missed opportunity.
Losing 1-0 to Latvia, the team that began the day bottom of the group, who had scored in only one of their previous five matches, was bad enough, and Worthington was scathing about the absence of "urgency" among his players. But the news then emerging that Sweden had drawn 0-0 at home to Denmark and that Spain had required an 86th minute equaliser to make it 1-1 in Iceland meant that Northern Ireland's anguish should have been enhanced.
Spain's result meant that Northern Ireland remain in second place in the group level on points with Luis Aragones' team. Spain had Liverpool's Xabi Alonso sent off after 20 minutes and then fell behind but they now host Latvia in Oviedo on Wednesday and will be expecting three points. Northern Ireland, therefore, must get three in Iceland to remain second.
With four games to go, the top four countries are looking at permutations. Sweden should win the group but Denmark are not out of qualification and it is effectively a three-way sprint for second place. Northern Ireland have away days in Sweden and Spain. In turn, the Spanish have yet to go to Copenhagen and Denmark have to go to Belfast.
If the Irish play then as they did on Saturday evening, then the Danes will be happy. "We were a million miles from where we want to be," said Worthington.
Latvia were nothing like special but the coherent aggression which had become established under Lawrie Sanchez was not on view from the Irish.
"We won't give up," said West Ham's George McCartney, "but qualification won't be easy now, especially with trips to Sweden and Spain to come. We struggled to break Latvia down, they were well organised but it was a really average performance from us. The fact they won by an own goal summed it all up." Fulham's Steve Davis and Keith Gillespie had been bright at the beginning but it was Latvia who created the most danger first and the inability to penetrate from both sets of players led to a give-and-take game played out mostly in midfield.
Latvia were rough and the visitors complained long and loud and without success to the indulgent Portuguese referee. Gillespie was restricted by the Latvian approach, frequently physically, and Worthington's decision to replace West Brom's new €4.5 million signing Chris Brunt with Hull City's Stuart Elliott was not justified.
Brunt can appear casual but at least when he eventually replaced Elliott, Brunt delivered three curling, fast crosses that at last sparked panic in the home penalty-box. Gillespie, twice, got on the end of them and then in the 89th minute the Manchester United teenager Jonny Evans met another with a powerful diving header. Unfortunately it was too close to the Latvia keeper Andris Vanins.
Northern Ireland were swift and anxious now. They had to be since the 56th minute when Chris Baird toed a low cross from Imants Bleidelis beyond the static and not totally convincing Maik Taylor. Taylor made the point that Iceland won 3-0 in Belfast in the group's opening fixture. That result has to be stood on its head on Wednesday. The situation is urgent.
LATVIA: Vanins, Zirnis, Gorkss, Klava, Ivanovs, Bleidelis, Laizans, Astafjevs, Rubins, Verpakovskis (Blanks 90), Karlsons (Rimkus 72). Subs not used: Romanovs, Solonicins, Visnjakovs, Surnins, Kacanovs. Booked: Zirnis, Rimkus.
NORTHERN IRELAND: Taylor, Baird, Duff, Evans, McCartney, Gillespie, Clingan, Davis, Elliott (Brunt 66), Healy, Lafferty (Feeney 72). Subs not used: Mannus, Sproule, McAuley, Jones, Craigan. Booked: Baird, Gillespie.
Referee: Pedro Proenca (Portugal).
