Northern Ireland equalized in stoppage time ruled out by VAR as the fight went unrewarded in a 1-0 Euro 2024 qualifying loss to Denmark.
A goal by Jonas Wind early in the second half was decisive in Copenhagen as debutant Callum Marshall saw the dream goal ruled out for offside after a viewing that lasted almost five minutes.
The West Ham youth scored after a free-kick header from Johnny Evans, but there was desperation when referee Daniel Stefanski eventually signaled offside after colleague Tomasz Kwiatkowski took the age to review the footage.
Michael O’Neill’s side defended tenaciously to the top seed in Group H, but a mistake just two minutes into the break proved decisive as Denmark bounced back from their March shock defeat to Kazakhstan and pressured Northern Ireland to come forward when the Kazakhs arrived. Windsor Park on Monday.
The wind picked up as Ciaron Brown got it all wrong trying to handle Joakim Male’s short cross from the left flank, hitting the ball from close range.
But O’Neill will be inspired by how the young squad handled the toughest match in Group H.
Before kick-off, news came that Craig Cathcart had suffered a back injury, bringing the team’s core team missing to 10, a figure that threatened to derail this qualifying campaign before the halfway point.
Trey Hume started at left wingback for the first time, with Evans between Brown and Paddy McNair at the back. Also starting first was Isaac Price, one of three teenagers on the team, along with Conor Bradley and Shea Charles.
O’Neal was well aware of what he required of such inexperienced players in the bustling atmosphere of the Parken Stadium and watched as they withstood the enormous pressure before the break while Denmark frustrated.
Andreas Skov Olsen’s early cross was slightly behind Pierre-Emil Heubjerg, who twisted acrobatically to make contact but failed to hit.
Christian Eriksen fired from a free kick from long range and Crystal Palace defender Joachim Andersen had the clearest chance just before half an hour when space opened up in front of him, but his powerful shot landed squarely on Bailey Peacock-Farrell.
Shane Lavery, selected ahead of Dion Charles in attack, worked tirelessly to offer a way out as he and Price’s svelte figure, who was asked to play in an advanced role, faced a formidable Danish defending trio of Simon Kjaer, Andreas Christensen and Andersen.
It was Lavery who had Northern Ireland’s only opportunity in the first half when Price cleared the ball out on the edge of the penalty area. Lavery looked up and saw the three defenders approaching, but struck back, which Kasper Schmeichel was able to muster.
But after all that hard work in the first half, it only took Denmark two minutes of the second to find a breakthrough thanks to a defensive error.
Northern Ireland did not recover their form after Bradley lost the ball, and when Brown tripped on the floor, Wind accepted the gift.
Standard gave Northern Ireland the opportunity, but Price and Lavery crossed paths trying to play shorter and Denmark broke, with Peacock-Farrell skilfully escaping the in-demand Rasmus Høilund, who scored five goals in the first two qualifiers.
A quick pass from Peacock-Farrell freed Price on the right as the hour mark approached, but without support, the teenager had to test Schmeichel from a tight corner by forcing the corner.
There seemed to be a late turn when Marshall, who replaced Ali McCann with five minutes left, turned the ball home from close range, but VAR destroyed the celebration.
With only three games left in the qualifying campaign, it looks like Northern Ireland now have to come home on Monday to stay in the game.