If any team has surpassed expectations more than Scotland in the last couple of years, it must be NI.

They start out in the 6th pot of balls with a squad that on paper deserves to be no higher than that, not so long after they endured 14 hours of play without scoring a goal.

And yet they beat Spain, Sweden and Denmark in this campaign and have an outside chance of qualifying going into the final set of matches. At worst they will finish 3rd in their group.

When the WC draw is made on Sunday it looks like they will have progressed up to pot 3. They are probably the pot 3 team everyone wants in their group, and will struggle to match the dizzy heights they have reached, but what an achievement.

Oh, and that win over England  :022:

aye credit to them. the boy healy has been unbelievable for them. would be glad to see them make it, but think they'll probably feel a bit like i do now come wednesday night  :029:

Yes, best of luck to NI.  They've sort of crept up the outside towards qualifying.  I hope all the next results fall their way.  I've a lot of time for their ex manager, Lawrie Sanchez.  I liked him when he was at Wycombe.  He did a similar job for NI as Walter Smith did for us, by restoring some pride after a long spell in the doldrums, before moving back to club management.  I just hope that McLeish is not similarly tempted before the World Cup. 

Yes, the best of luck to them.  Would much rather they were representing the UK than england  :023:

Full time

Spain 1-0 N Ireland