Northern Ireland are preparing to take on Hungary in their upcoming UEFA Nations League group match, which takes place on Monday at their home venue, the Clearer Twist National Stadium.
The home side come into this game in a confident mood after a thrilling 1-0 win away to Georgia in their Nations League opener. Shea Charles netted a dramatic 99th-minute winner, while goalkeeper Pierce Charles made a vital penalty save earlier in the match. That result followed an uneven set of summer friendlies, including a narrow 1-0 victory over Guinea and a more disappointing 3-1 loss to France. Under Michael O’Neill, the emerging young group is already demonstrating solid defensive organisation and growing belief.
Northern Ireland team news
Northern Ireland must reorganise their defence for this key Nations League fixture after losing Dan Ballard.
The Sunderland centre-back picked up a hamstring problem in the closing stages of Friday’s hard-earned 1-0 triumph in Georgia and will not feature against Hungary.
O’Neill now faces a choice between the youthful promise of Ruairi McConville and the veteran know-how of Paddy McNair to help stabilise the back line.
This setback adds to the existing absence of Liverpool’s Conor Bradley, who remains unavailable for the current international window.
On a more encouraging note, the Charles brothers are expected to keep their central roles. Pierce Charles is set to start in goal, while Shea Charles, the match-winner from the weekend, will again operate as a key figure in midfield.
In attack, young forward Jamie Donley is likely to lead the line as the side aims to secure another important three points.
Northern Ireland predicted lineup
Possible Northern Ireland starting XI: P. Charles; Atcheson, McNair, Brown; Hume, S. Charles, Galbraith, Devenny; Kelly, Donley, Price
When will the match kick off?
The match will kick off at 7:45pm BST on Monday, 28th September.
How to watch Northern Ireland vs Hungary?
The Northern Ireland versus Hungary clash will be shown live and free-to-air across the UK on Monday night, with coverage on BBC Three and BBC One Northern Ireland.
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