Rangers star helps keep Northern Ireland World Cup hopes alive with Swiss result
Rangers veteran Steven Davis captained Northern Ireland to a 0-0 draw with World Cup Qualifying Group C rivals Switzerland which keeps the country’s Qatar 2022 hopes alive. The Ulsterman are now 3 rd in the group, three points behind Switzerland in 2 nd with runaway leaders Italy holding 14 p...
Rangers veteran Steven Davis captained Northern Ireland to a 0-0 draw with World Cup Qualifying Group C rivals Switzerland which keeps the country’s Qatar 2022 hopes alive.
The Ulsterman are now 3rd in the group, three points behind Switzerland in 2nd with runaway leaders Italy holding 14 points in 1st.
Rangers star Steven Davis has helped keep those Northern Ireland World Cup hopes alive with a draw v Switzerland. (Photo By Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
The result means that the Northern Irish will very likely need to get something in the return match against the Swiss in October to stand any chance of making the Playoffs.
The match could’ve also been oh so different if it was not for goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell, who for the second qualifier in a row saved a decisive penalty.
This time the stopper saved in the first half from a Haris Seferovic effort in front of a raucous Windsor Park crowd, and it could be decisive heading into the final four qualifiers.
Bailey Peacock-Farrell > Your Goalkeeper #GAWA / #NIRSUI pic.twitter.com/rbnzxedVX7
— Belfast Telegraph Sport (@BelTel_Sport) September 8, 2021
Davos, 36, continues to roll back the years and played the full 90 minutes in midfield alongside Rangers-linked talent Ali McCann, who moved to Preston North End from St Johnstone on deadline day.
Jordan Thompson – another young Northern Irish midfield talent who actually spent time at Ibrox – also played in the middle of the park as Ian Baraclough’s side adopted a 5-3-2.
Remarkably, this was Davo’s 128th cap as he continues to extend his remarkable British footballing caps record after pipping England goalie Peter Shilton (125).
Former Rangers winger Jordan Jones would also come off the bench for Northern Ireland but it wasn’t to be as the nation held on for a draw to set up the next break very nicely.
Northern Ireland are still in with a World Cup chance. (Photo By Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
Switzerland are certainly no mugs – as the Euro 2020 quarter-finalists proved in the summer – with matches against them (A), Bulgaria (A), Lithuania (H) and Italy (H) remaining.
Northern Ireland aren’t the only home nation with Rangers representatives hoping to make the tournament next summer with one Ibrox star eyeing a shot at redemption.
Have something to tell us about this article?
