{"id":361932,"date":"2016-06-16T18:46:34","date_gmt":"2016-06-16T18:46:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ghana-mma.com\/sports\/2016\/06\/16\/euro-2016-northern-ireland-stun-ukraine\/"},"modified":"2016-06-16T18:46:34","modified_gmt":"2016-06-16T18:46:34","slug":"euro-2016-northern-ireland-stun-ukraine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2016\/06\/16\/euro-2016-northern-ireland-stun-ukraine\/","title":{"rendered":"Euro 2016: Northern Ireland stun Ukraine"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

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Gareth McAuley\u2019s header and a stoppage-time strike by substitute Niall McGinn helped Northern Ireland beat Ukraine to earn their first win at a European Championship.<\/p>\n

West Brom defender McAuley got on the end of Oliver Norwood\u2019s perfectly delivered free-kick for the crucial 49th-minute opener.<\/p>\n

After the players were withdrawn because of a hailstorm, McGinn followed up Stuart Dallas\u2019 fierce shot to make sure of a famous victory and revive hopes of progressing to the last 16.<\/p>\n

Michael O\u2019Neill\u2019s men know they cannot finish bottom of Group C now as Ukraine remain without a point.<\/p>\n

However, after losing their opening match to Poland, they may still need a draw against Germany in Paris on Sunday.<\/p>\n

\n<\/figure>\n

O\u2019Neill\u2019s tactical masterclass<\/h3>\n

Michael O\u2019Neill gambled by making five changes, including relegating top scorer Kyle Lafferty to the substitutes\u2019 bench.<\/p>\n

Lafferty\u2019s place went to 24-year-old Conor Washington, the QPR striker who was working as a postman and playing for St Ives in the ninth tier of English football the last time the Euros were staged in 2012.<\/p>\n

But it paid off fantastically as Northern Ireland clinched their first win at a major tournament since famously beating hosts Spain at the 1982 World Cup.<\/p>\n

Washington and Ward proved a handful for a Ukraine team who had kept 21 clean sheets in their past 39 games.<\/p>\n

Northern Ireland\u2019s strength from set-pieces told again as McAuley, 36, brilliantly got on the end of Norwood\u2019s well-taken free-kick for the first goal.<\/p>\n

After a hail shower that saw the players withdrawn and substitutions, six minutes of stoppage time were added on.<\/p>\n

But Northern Ireland\u2019s nervousness disappeared when Aberdeen winger McGinn pounced to seal victory.<\/p>\n

\n<\/figure>\n
Czech referee Pavel Kralovec led the players off for a two-minute delay during the second half after a hail storm<\/figcaption>
\u2013<\/figcaption>
Source: BBC Sport<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Gareth McAuley\u2019s header and a stoppage-time strike by substitute Niall McGinn helped Northern Ireland beat Ukraine to earn their first win at a European Championship. West Brom defender McAuley got on the end of Oliver Norwood\u2019s perfectly delivered free-kick for the crucial 49th-minute opener. 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