Keeper crisis and new name up front – Northern Ireland v Belarus talking points

Northern Ireland are back in Nations League action on Saturday when they take on Belarus at the ZTE Arena in Zalaegerszeg, Hungary.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the key talking points going into the game.

Promotion push?

When this Nations League campaign started last month, Northern Ireland’s stated goal was to target promotion back to League B. Michael O’Neill has been keen to play down any sense of pressure on these fixtures as he focuses on the long-term development of his squad, but after they took three points from their opening two games, the next week will determine whether or not promotion remains a realistic goal.

Goalkeeping shortage

Bailey Peacock-Farrell’s shoulder injury has left O’Neill desperately short of experience between the posts. With Conor Hazard having already been ruled out until the new year, O’Neill has three goalkeepers – Luke Southwood, Pierce Charles and Christy Pym – who have only one cap between them. Southwood earned that one when he played 45 minutes of the 3-1 friendly win over Luxembourg in March 2022. Southwood has been on the bench at League One Bolton for most of the season but started last weekend due to an injury to Nathan Baxter. Of the three goalkeepers in the squad it is only Pym – called up on Tuesday – who has been playing regular club football this season.

Bonis to get his opportunity?

Besides Pym, O’Neill has also given late call-ups to Kofi Balmer and Lee Bonis this week. Balmer comes in as cover with Daniel Ballard injured, but Bonis is simply an addition to the squad. With goals an ongoing concern within the Northern Ireland ranks, O’Neill simply could not ignore the hat-trick the former Larne man scored for ADO Den Haag in the Eerste Divisie at the weekend, continuing the strong start Bonis has made to life in the Netherlands. Bonis, yet to make his debut having also been in the squad last summer, will hope for a chance to show what he can do.

Behind closed doors

Saturday’s game will be played in a neutral venue and behind closed doors as a result of the sanctions placed on Belarus following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In theory that should play to Northern Ireland’s advantage, removing the more hostile environment of a home crowd while also making this a (marginally) shorter trip. But few, if any, players enjoy playing in front of empty stands, as those that did not already know learned during the pandemic.

Longer lead in

With the first game of this international window not until Saturday, O’Neill was able to get his squad together for longer than usual, training for several days in Manchester before flying out to Hungary on Thursday evening. Coming on the back of the Spanish training camp in the summer, it is more valuable time for O’Neill to work with what remains a very young squad.