Belarus Ends UEFA Nations League Campaign With Victory Over Northern Ireland

Belarus Defeats Northern Ireland 1-0 for First League C Win

Belarus ended its UEFA Nations League campaign on a positive note after securing a 1-0 victory over Northern Ireland at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The win marked Belarus' first victory in League C and lifted them to six points, securing fourth place in the group.

The only goal of the match came in the 37th minute through Yury Kendysh. The midfielder found the back of the net with a close-range finish assisted by Renan Bressan.

Despite Belarus' victory, they finished bottom of Group 2 in League C behind Turkey, Luxembourg, and Northern Ireland.

Defensive Battle Dominates First Half, Belarus Breaks Deadlock

The first half was a physical and tactical battle with few clear-cut chances for either side. Northern Ireland played in a 3-5-2 formation and relied heavily on long balls to target their forwards, while Belarus set up in a 4-3-3 formation and tried to build attacks through the wings.

Belarus had a slight edge in possession but struggled to create many dangerous opportunities. Their best chance came in the 25th minute when Vladislav Klimovich found some space inside the penalty area but fired his shot just wide of the target.

However, Belarus eventually broke the deadlock in the 37th minute. Bressan won the ball in midfield and played a neat pass to Kendysh, who was unmarked on the edge of the box. Kendysh took a touch to control the ball and then fired a low shot into the bottom corner, giving Northern Ireland goalkeeper Trevor Carson no chance.

Northern Ireland Pushes in Search of Equalizer

Northern Ireland pushed for an equalizer in the second half and came close on several occasions. In the 65th minute, substitute Shayne Lavery had a great opportunity to level the score, but his header from close range went just wide of the post.

Ian Baraclough's side continued to press forward and created a few more half-chances, but they were unable to find a breakthrough. Belarus defended resolutely and held on to secure the win.

Conclusion: Northern Ireland Disappointed, Belarus Relieved

The victory will be a relief for Belarus, who had a difficult campaign overall. They lost their first four matches in the group and had to beat Northern Ireland to avoid finishing bottom. The win will give them some confidence going into the next international break.

For Northern Ireland, it was a disappointing end to their Nations League campaign. They had hoped to at least finish third in the group and give themselves a chance of promotion to League B, but they ultimately fell short. They will now have to focus on their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign, which begins in March.