Why Luxembourg Dead Rubber Still Matters For Ni

2026 World Cup qualifier: Northern Ireland v Luxembourg

Venue: Windsor Park, Belfast Date: Monday, 17 November Kick-off: 19:45 GMT

Coverage: Live connected BBC Two, BBC Three and BBC iPlayer; perceive connected BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Ulster, and unrecorded matter commentary connected BBC Sport app & website

Northern Ireland's travel to Slovakia ended successful a precocious conclusion and meant Michael O'Neill's broadside cannot decorativeness successful nan apical 2 successful Group A.

But location was a metallic lining to nan Kosice cloud, arsenic Croatia's triumph complete Faroe Islands guaranteed Northern Ireland a World Cup play-off.

So, ultimately, nan last qualifier pinch Luxembourg connected Monday nighttime is now a dormant rubber pinch thing connected nan statement successful position of nan table.

Despite that, location are still reasons that it matters for Northern Ireland.

Here's why you should still care.

This 1 speaks for itself. This is nan past clip Northern Ireland will play earlier nan World Cup play-off successful March.

Despite nan feel-good facet that has been restored astir O'Neill's team, they person now mislaid 2 matches connected nan bounce and will want to effort and get that winning emotion backmost against Luxembourg.

There was a consciousness that momentum was firmly connected NI's broadside aft nan triumph complete Slovakia past period that had Windsor Park bouncing.

The result connected Monday whitethorn not alteration their position, but nan crippled pinch Luxembourg is an opportunity to show nan past 2 games were conscionable a bump connected nan road, alternatively than nan travel veering disconnected course.

Northern Ireland already cognize their play-off semi-final will beryllium distant from home, truthful it is nan cleanable opportunity to nonstop O'Neill's broadside disconnected pinch 3 points.

You tin publication much astir Northern Ireland's play-off image here.

O'Neill will person a spot of a number of action dilemmas for nan last qualifier.

The injured Shea Charles and Ali McCann are some still missing successful midfield, and George Saville will subordinate them connected nan sidelines done suspension pinch his precocious yellowish paper against Slovakia his 2nd of nan campaign.

Daniel Ballard will besides beryllium retired that crippled aft his moreover later dismissal successful Kosice.

In nan guardant line, Dion Charles was taken disconnected astatine half-time and his replacement Jamie Reid besides limped disconnected successful nan 2nd half.

That could time off O'Neill pinch conscionable 3 options up beforehand for Monday. Josh Magennis is nan earthy choice, and he came disconnected nan chair successful nan 2nd half successful Slovakia.

Jamie Donley replaced nan injured Reid and played alongside Magennis, while Callum Marshall, who has often featured retired wide for NI, could get a changeable successful his much earthy cardinal guardant role.

"I person said successful nan past that I would for illustration to spot Callum Marshall get a chance," said erstwhile Northern Ireland defender George McCartney.

"He is simply a earthy goalscorer, a clever player, and travel Monday it is simply a anticipation he could play."

Other youngsters who whitethorn get a chance to radiance are midfielder Jamie McDonnell, who O'Neill said he was adjacent to selecting successful Slovakia, Barnsley's uncapped erstwhile Coleraine prima Patrick Kelly aliases defender Terry Devlin, who precocious scored doubly for Portsmouth.

If selected, they'll each person a batch to prove.

Off nan backmost of that, nan imaginable preamble of younker whitethorn let O'Neill to research up of nan play-off.

A batch of that comes down to a elemental mobility - really do you get nan champion retired of Conor Bradley?

He was not arsenic effective arsenic accustomed erstwhile playing further guardant against Slovakia, but pinch nan top of respect to Luxembourg, playing against a little modular of guidance whitethorn let him to slot into nan role.

With Trai Hume astatine consequence of suspension for nan play-off semi should he beryllium booked successful Belfast, Bradley aliases Devlin could besides slot into spot astatine correct back.

There's a akin conundrum connected nan left-hand side. Justin Devenny, nan centre midfielder-turned near wing-back, has excelled successful an unfamiliar position.

But he is besides astatine consequence of suspension, which could spot Jamal Lewis travel in.

With thing to lose, Northern Ireland tin spell for it and effort caller things, but location is besides that yellowish paper tightrope to support nether consideration.

"We cognize really bully our squad is and really players are fresh to measurement successful and put a capacity successful arsenic each azygous subordinate successful nan squad wants to play," young defender Ruairi McConville said aft nan nonaccomplishment successful Slovakia.

"When you get nan chance, you want to show that you are tin of playing."

This 1 isn't straight linked to nan crippled pinch Luxembourg, but pinch a play-off successful nan container Northern Ireland tin look guardant to discovering their imaginable opponents for March.

O'Neill's broadside will look a semi-final against a cookware 1 broadside successful March.

As things stand, that will beryllium 1 of Italy, Turkey, Poland aliases Ukraine but things could still change.

There remains a chance, should they not triumph their respective groups, that Germany, Denmark aliases Austria could yet beryllium progressive too.

The play-off pots will beryllium wished by nan world rankings astatine nan extremity of qualifying, truthful Northern Ireland won't cognize their imaginable opponents for judge until then.

If you can't get excited for a tie for a World Cup play-off, past what tin you get excited for?

Off nan backmost of that, nan tie for a play-off last is an unfastened 1 so, if NI tin discuss a tricky semi-final distant from home, past location is simply a 50/50 chance that nan last could beryllium astatine Windsor Park.

And that is why it is important to effort and support their Belfast location arsenic overmuch of a wall arsenic possible.

The nonaccomplishment to Germany was a first location conclusion for Northern Ireland successful 7 matches, a tally which stretched backmost to October 2023 against Slovenia.

Northern Ireland were unlucky not to get thing against nan Germans, too, and it will beryllium important to support that intelligence advantage that location turf is arsenic beardown arsenic possible.

Northern Ireland will beryllium hoping that nan the tie for nan play-off last is benignant and brings a location draw.

If they tin discuss a tricky distant semi-final, past nan Green and White Army will beryllium capable to dream erstwhile again.