Referee Needed To 'be Stronger' - O'neill

Northern Ireland head Michael O'Neill said nan yellowish paper he was shown astatine nan extremity of his side's 1-0 conclusion by Slovakia was for telling nan referee to "be stronger".

Striker Tomas Bobcek netted successful further clip to triumph nan 2026 World Cup qualifier for his broadside aft nan hosts had 2 earlier efforts disallowed successful nan half.

Northern Ireland felt that nan substitute's onslaught which ended their hopes of a top-two spot successful Group A should besides person been chalked disconnected by referee Istvan Kovacs for a push by Leo Sauer connected Daniel Ballard successful nan build-up.

To compound O'Neill's frustration, Ballard was later sent disconnected aft picking up a yellowish paper nan head described arsenic "a joke," while he added he felt it was "disappointing" that his opposing leader Francesco Calzona did not shingle hands aft nan game.

"I said to nan referee that he needed to beryllium stronger and he booked me," said O'Neill.

"I went to shingle his hand, said that he needed to beryllium stronger, and that was capable for him to book me. If I'm not allowed to opportunity that, past I shouldn't person said it."

Despite nan loss, Northern Ireland will still return portion successful March play-offs to make it to adjacent year's World Cup acknowledgment to winning their Nations League group successful November.

The nonaccomplishment successful Kosice does harm their hopes of making it to North America, however, arsenic they will participate those play-offs among nan 4th group of seeds.

Slovakia primitively thought that had taken nan lead successful nan 56th infinitesimal erstwhile Lukas Haraslin's free-kick flew past Bailey Peacock-Farrell, but it was adjudged that Milan Skriniar had obstructed nan position of nan Northern Ireland stopper.

Just 8 minutes later, they had different onslaught disallowed by VAR aft David Strelec was penalised for handling nan ball.

O'Neill felt that nan decisions to disallow nan erstwhile efforts played into allowing nan precocious winner.

"It was a clear push connected Daniel Ballard astatine nan corner, 2 hands successful his back," said O'Neill.

"The different goals that were disallowed should person been disallowed. The first 1 was offside, nan lines show that intelligibly and nan 2nd 1 was handball.

"You person to look astatine each incident successful its ain merit, you can't spell cumulative and referee nan past incident otherwise to really you refereed nan different 2 incidents."

Following nan goal, Ballard was sent disconnected for a 2nd yellowish and midfielder George Saville booked pinch some played now ruled retired of Monday night's crippled pinch Luxembourg done suspension.

On Ballard's 2nd yellow, O'Neill said: "The Slovakian dug-out that caused that arsenic overmuch arsenic anything."

"The [second] yellowish paper for Daniel is simply a joke," nan head continued.

"If you look astatine it back, it is poor."

"He is simply a apical referee, he has refereed nan Champions League final, he should person disallowed nan goal."

The victory, which keeps live Slovakia's hopes of qualifying automatically for adjacent summer's tournament, sparked immense celebrations from nan hosts pinch O'Neill describing their guidance arsenic "disappointing".

"Everything was connected nan statement for Slovakia. You could show that by nan measurement their method area behaved towards nan extremity of nan game. Which was disappointing.

"Disappointing for their coach not to shingle my hand.

"Ultimately, we congratulate Slovakia because they person a to spell to Germany and triumph nan group."