Poland 1 Northern Ireland 1

The friendly international between Poland and Northern Ireland at the Slaski Stadium, Chrozow on Sep 5, 2009.

Having predicted Northern Ireland might require seven more points to secure a place in their first major finals in almost a quarter of a century, Nigel Worthington doesn’t need the mental arithmetic skills of Carol Vorderman to realise that equation now looks a somewhat daunting one in their remaining two games.

Chorzow may be a thousand miles east of Glasgow, yet it witnessed a cameo version of the Old Firm derby, one which saw Rangers come out emphatically on top to seemingly put the Irish en route to a fifth consecutive victory in group three.

The Rangers forward, who has not featured for his club this season due to suspension, broke the deadlock seven minutes before the interval.

Given the benefit of the doubt over what appeared to be a marginal offside decision, Lafferty latched onto David Healy’s astute through ball with composure before slipping the ball through the legs of Artur Boruc, the Celtic keeper.

A seventh international goal was the 21-year-old’s last significant contribution as he was forced off with a foot injury to leave the forward’s participation at home to Slovakia on Wednesday in doubt.

The heroics of the Northern Ireland’s front two were matched by those at the back. Gareth McAuley, the Ipswich defender, was colossal, while Jonny Evans, appeared omnipresent, no more so than when heading off the line from Ludovic Obraniak as half-time approached.

Next year’s South African jamboree was tantalisingly within reach until, with 10 minutes remaining, Mariusz Lewandowski stole in at the near post ahead of McAuley to bundle home an equaliser fully merited by the hosts’ near unrelenting second-half pressure.