Northern Ireland go into tonight’s Euro 2012 crunch clash with Slovenia at Windsor Park knowing a beat is likely to spell the end of their qualification hopes.
Last Friday night’s 2-1 loss to Serbia — after Northern Ireland had led 1-0 at half-time — has left Nigel Worthington’s men lying second from foot of Group C.
And although we have a match in hand, a beat tonight would mean we’d have to win all five remaining games in order to formulate the finals in Poland and Ukraine next summer.
Gareth McAuley will captain Northern Ireland from the start for the first time — in the lack of Aaron Hughes, who suffered a shoulder injury in Belgrade — and both he and fellow defender Jonny Evans are upbeat about tonight’s must-win encounter.
“It’s huge. Being in the leading place we threw away at least a point in Serbia,” said McAuley.
“It makes this game even bigger. We’ll be going at it right from begin.
He added: “It’s an honor to be captain and it would be pleasant to look back on it as a winning occasion. We know we can strike Slovenia.”
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