Northern Ireland 0 Slovakia 2

The World Cup Group Three qualifier between Northern Ireland and Slovakia at Windsor Park, Belfast on Wednesday Sept 9, 2009.

Northern Ireland must beat the Czech Republic in Prague next month to keep alive their flickering hopes of qualification for the World Cup finals after Slovakia punished Nigel Worthington’s team for a host of missed chances in Belfast.

Goals from Stanislav Sestak and substitute Filip Holosko left Slovakia well clear at the top of Group Three and within touching distance of their first appearance at the World Cup.

But poor finishing and missed opportunities proved Northern Ireland’s undoing and Worthington’s players could now be forced to rely on San Marino beating Slovenia on Oct 14 to sustain hope of a play-off position.

The raucous atmosphere inside Windsor Park emphasised the high stakes, but the hostility that has unnerved England and Spain in recent years did not faze Slovakia, and after surviving a near miss by David Healy after two minutes, the visitors took the lead against the run of play with a quarter of an hour gone.

Vladimir Weiss, the Manchester City teenager and son of the Slovakia manager, tormented defender Jonny Evans down the right flank before crossing for Sestak to score from close range.

With the towering Rangers forward Kyle Lafferty absent due to injury, Northern Ireland lacked the physical presence required to increase the pressure on the Slovakian back four.

And Lafferty’s replacement, Burnley forward Martin Paterson, was enduring one of those nights. Having dispossessed Martin Skrtel inside the penalty area, Paterson was denied by goalkeeper Jan Mucha from 12 yards.

Another Paterson miss after 66 minutes proved crucial, with Holosko putting the game beyond Northern Ireland’s reach by scoring on the counter-attack to make it 2-0. Niall McGinn went close in the closing stages but struck the crossbar.