At half-time of Northern Ireland’s Euro 2025 qualifier in Bosnia-Herzegovina, it looked like a script we had seen before.
After Friday’s frustrating draw with Malta, ranked 87th the world, the pressure was on Northern Ireland to deliver in Zenica.
But there was a curveball to come when manager Tanya Oxtoby could not travel with the team on Sunday after becoming the latest to fall to the virus that hit the NI camp.
Coach Stuart McLaren, who had only started working with the group in the last two weeks, would take charge alongside Danielle McDowell Tuffey and Roy Carroll.
In temperatures of 30 degrees in the Bosnian mountains, the hosts could have been ahead if not for two strong saves from Jackie Burns as the visitors struggled to create chances in front of goal.
With the adversity from not only the match but the build-up, Northern Ireland could have crumbled as crucial points looked set to slip away.
But, after half-time, they found those answers.
Lauren Wade broke the deadlock after being found by the excellent Keri Halliday, who was making her first senior start.
Bosnia immediately hit back, but Northern Ireland rallied and Megan Bell and Simone Magill fired them to a win that was worth so much more than just three points.
“The conditions here were extremely hot and credit to absolutely everyone. We dug in really deep,” Magill told BBC Sport NI.
“We’ve had a tough week but the character that this group has shown, I think we thoroughly deserved that win.
“We’re used to having to put up a fight. That feeling of digging so deep and getting the win makes it that little bit sweeter.”
‘We took a massive step’
Despite being absent for the qualifier, Oxtoby was in constant communication with her coaching team throughout the match and Magill said the half-time message was to stick to their principles – a constant message through the Australian’s tenure to date.
“The key message was just to be patient and trust that it is coming,” the Aston Villa striker added.
“In previous games we had been a little bit frustrated if we hadn’t hit the back of the net.
“That’s part of the process and the journey that we are on.
“I think we took a massive step in these conditions and everything that we have come up against this week. To come out and score three goals in the second half away from home, it’s a credit to everyone.”
Magill added she was “so proud” of everyone in the team but singled out Halliday and impressive second-half substitute Casey Howe, winning her third cap, out for praise.
“Some of the kids stepping up, what an achievement for them having shown the character to just step in.
“I thought they were fantastic, and so was everyone, but an extra special shout out to those two girls.”
Northern Ireland have been inconsistent since Oxtoby took over in August and Tuesday’s game was a 90-minute example of the peaks and troughs of the team.
The challenge now is to make the highs a more regular occurrence, which will begin with a double-header with top seeds Portugal in May.
Friday’s draw with Malta was below the standards the team set themselves, according to Magill. She said the second-half performance on Tuesday is “what we are all about”.
“We want to score goals and play exciting football. In the second half we definitely showed that.
“It was much more to the standard that we want to be operating at.
“We’ve set the standard now and we keep building. This is where we start to push on now.
“We have those points in the bank and we haven’t lost a game yet. We’ll push on now.”
