Q Radio Sport
Northern Ireland rattled nine goals past North Macedonia in the second part of their Women's World Cup qualifiers double header.
Kenny Shiels’ side were superb once again as they strolled to a 9-0 win at Seaview on Monday night, following on from their record-breaking 11-0 victory over the same opposition in Skopje last Thursday.
They claimed another three points in European Qualifying Group D 2023 qualifiers in front of 2600 fans in north Belfast.
Kirsty McGuinness grabbed a hat-trick, Rachel Furness notched a record-breaking double, Rebecca Holloway also scored two and Simone Magill and Kerry Beattie were on target as well in the emphatic win.
Just in! Tonight’s team…including @LiverpoolFCW โญ๏ธ @Furney1988 who, if she scores this evening, will move to 37 international goals and break David Healy’s Northern Ireland record.
— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) November 29, 2021
Kick-off at Seaview 7pm.@NorthernIreland #GAWA #Furney pic.twitter.com/UHSqC144da
Northern Ireland started with the same eleven who took to the field in Skopje, while North Macedonia made three changes to their starting eleven.
Magill had the ball in the net after 10 minutes. However, her close range effort, which followed a slick move involving Demi Vance and McGuinness, was ruled out for offside.
Moments later Furness produced an excellent defence-splitting pass to McGuinness and she ran on and slotted the ball in off the far post to make it 1-0.
Lauren Wade drilled a shot over the bar before Northern Ireland captain Marissa Callaghan blasted a shot just wide of the upright on 18 minutes.
Furness had a header cleared off the line by a North Macedonia defender as Northern Ireland continued to push forward.
Holloway made it two on the half-hour mark. Callaghan played the ball forward to Magill who slipped it into Holloway’s path and she fired the ball into the top corner from 30 yards. It was a fine hit.
The lively Magill had a header saved on the line before she set up Furness for the third goal.
The midfielder drilled the ball home from 20 yards to break David Healy’s goalscoring record for Northern Ireland. It was her 37th goal for her country.
BREAKING - A RECORD!@Furney1988 scores in tonight's @FIFAWWC qualifier v N. Macedonia at Seaview - her 37th NI goal, passing David Healy's previous best of 36
— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) November 29, 2021
To legend and #GAWA great we can add the title - @NorthernIreland record goalscorer#Furney37 ๐๐๐คฉ
(PS It's 3-0!) pic.twitter.com/lhyalQlxDV
McGuinness notched her second with a sublime finish. Magill provided the lay-off once again as the winger strode forward down the left and she pinged the ball into the top corner from an angle to make it 4-0
Wade twisted and turned inside the area and got a shot away, however her effort was snuffed out by North Macedonia keeper Magdalena Lekovska.
Holloway crossed for Wade to tuck the ball into the net on the stroke of half-time, however her effort was ruled out. Holloway was adjudged to have drifted offside in the build-up.
HT: @FIFAWWC qualifier
— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) November 29, 2021
Seaview
Northern Ireland 4
North Macedonia 0@KirstyMcG11 x2 @BecksHolloway and new NI record scorer @Furney1988๐with the 1st half goals.
Kenny Shiels' side heading up to 2nd in the group.#GAWA pic.twitter.com/eVXzOgtkZc
Fifteen seconds into the second half Wade had a good opportunity, blasting a shot over the top, and McGuinness wriggled free from her marker but her low shot was pushed away by the keeper.
Magill flicked a header on to the bar, Furness curled a shot wide and then Magill was the provider once again as Northern Ireland scored their fifth. She played the ball across the face of goal for McGuinness to slot the ball home and complete her hat-trick in the 62nd minute.
A minute later Holloway grabbed her second. Wade fired in a great cross down the right and Holloway was on hand at the back post to steer the ball into the net.
Magill produced a lovely piece of skill to bamboozle her marker, however her snapshot drifted just wide of the post.
But she finally got the goal she deserved in the 74th minute. Vance played the ball to the striker who cleverly slipped past a couple of markers and slotted into the bottom corner. It was a lovely goal to make it 7-0.
Substitute Kerry Beattie played in Magill and she blasted her shot wide, and Northern Ireland got goal number eight shortly after. Wade delivered a superb ball to the back post and Furness headed in her second of the night – to extend her goalscoring record.
Right at the death a Wade cross was spilled by the keeper and Beattie was on hand to score her first goal at senior international level and complete the rout.
Captured on camera, what it looks like when a rising star teenage striker scores their first senior international goal. What a picture, what a player.
— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) November 29, 2021
Congratulations @KerryBeattie5 - first of many.
๐ธ CSX Sports/Chris Scott@Glentoran @GlentoranWomen #GAWA pic.twitter.com/p85WLmMpmm
The win puts Northern Ireland second in the Group D table behind England, although near rivals Austria are also expected to clock up the goals when they play their game in hand against Luxembourg on Tuesday night.
FT: @FIFAWWC qualifier
— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) November 29, 2021
Northern Ireland 9
N. Macedonia 0@KirstyMcG11 x3 @BecksHolloway x2 @Furney1988 x2 (breaks NI goals record it's now 38) @SimoneMagill @KerryBeattie5#GAWA go 2nd in group after incredible year
Austria & England in April #WorldCup dream is on!#Team๐คฉ pic.twitter.com/uF3o1UNXjg
Northern Ireland: Jackie Burns, Rebecca McKenna, Demi Vance, Sarah McFadden, Julie Nelson, Rebecca Holloway, Marissa Callaghan (captain), Rachel Furness, Simone Magill, Lauren Wade, Kirsty McGuinness. Substitutes: (used) Joely Andrews, Ciara Watling, Louise McDaniel, Kerry Beattie, Caitlin McGuinness; (unused) Becky Flaherty, Maddy Harvey-Clifford, Chloe McCarron, Kelsie Burrows, Rachel McLaren, Nadene Caldwell, Caragh Hamilton.
North Macedonia: Magdalena Lekovska, Ane Boseska, Katerina Mileska (captain), Elma Shemsovikj, Ulza Maksuti, Hava Mustafa, Afrodita Salihi, Elena Petrovska, Teodora Jankovska, Kristina Petrushevska, Ana Milchevska. Substitutes: Verica Kolevska (GK), Kristina Pavlovska (GK), Teodora Giorgjevska, Sara Kolarovska, Aleksandra Markovska, Sara Husein, Jana Chubrinovska, Sara Velkova, Viktorija Nedeva, Hristina Joshevska, Radica Choneva, Elena Paneska.
๐ฅ @LiverpoolFCW @Furney1988 has broken the all-time Northern Ireland goals record - not bad for a player told to quit โฝ๏ธ as a teen! Rachel says tonight’s win was for the #GAWA supporters. And it looks like some of her biggest fans are on the team bus๐ pic.twitter.com/MTg08vzNTp
— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) November 29, 2021