Northern Ireland 1-0 Guinea: Michael O'Neill's young side show resilience

Under the shadow of the Rock of Gibraltar and in front of just 300 spectators, the match between Northern Ireland and Guinea was perhaps not the biggest of the international period. Still, it shows the progress and development of Michael O'Neill's team. When Northern Ireland played Luxembourg in November 2024, it was their youngest starting XI since the end of the Second World War. With players like Shea Charles, Isaac Price, Justin Devenny and Trai Hume, who again have 18 months of experience and caps, Northern Ireland surpassed that record again on Thursday. In La Linea, O'Neill's young team started against the African opponent with an average age of just 22.1 years. Liverpool teenager Kieran Morrison was handed his debut, while Blackburn Rovers' 19-year-old Tom Atcheson impressed with the decisive goal before being sent off in the second half. Ciaron Brown and winger Paul Smyth, both 28, would almost be considered elderly by comparison, but the youthful team did what was necessary despite playing the final 25 minutes with ten men following the red card for Atcheson. As in the win over Iceland a year ago, a 1-0 home win after Brodie Spencer's exclusion, the team showed resilience beyond their years. While there has been some short-term pain in 2023, Northern Ireland and coach O'Neill have seen the benefits of introducing players to senior football at a young age. These young people have grown into experienced internationals, and the next generation is now also getting their chance. The second half saw Arsenal teenager Ceadach O'Neill make his debut off the bench, and although Everton's 18-year-old Braiden Graham did not feature in Spain, it will only be a matter of time before he earns his first cap too. Goalkeeper Pierce Charles, just 20 and linked with a move away from Sheffield Wednesday, was given another 45 minutes of playing time and, like many of his teammates, is wise beyond his years. With O'Neill's future as manager now certain after signing a new deal until 2032, the team's direction is clear. “It's really good, I feel like one of the older ones now, which is a bit crazy,” said Southampton midfielder Charles, Pierce's older brother, who has 35 caps at the age of 22. "It's a really good group and has been for a few years. It's important to get the young people integrated well into the group and playing will only help with that." Charles also praised Atcheson despite his red card, saying he "will bounce back" from his exclusion. Justin Devenny, fresh from Crystal Palace's success in the UEFA Conference League, agreed with Charles, saying: "There's real quality coming through. They've been great in training this week and they definitely deserve their chance." “You could see their quality on the pitch as they got used to the system, but they have adapted fantastically. There is much more to come as there is real quality there.” Despite the introduction of promising teenager O'Neill, the age profile rose in the second half as Jamie Reid - who missed a six-yard chance - and Josh Magennis both saw action, while Trai Hume offered Premier League experience and Luke Southwood finally got a long-awaited chance ingot a goal. The 28-year-old, who made his debut against Luxembourg in 2022, was finally handed his second cap as a half-time substitute. Southwood played his part in the win, tapping Lass Kourouma's powerful shot onto the crossbar in stoppage time, securing victory for 10-man Northern Ireland. As Charles said, “We had to fight it out at the end.” After missing the World Cup, Northern Ireland's biggest game this summer will be next Monday when they take on France in what will be their farewell match in Lille. After Germany and Italy in the last eight months, and Spain two years ago, Northern Ireland is gaining experience against the best players in the game. Charles says this allows them to play "without fear". The long-term aim, and hope, is that the top-flight matches will provide lessons for a return to a first major tournament for Northern Ireland since Euro 2016. “Playing against a team like France, they are probably the favorites for the World Cup, so it will be an exciting test for us,” Charles added. "We'll see where we are. It's going to be a fun game, so I'm looking forward to it. With the young team we have, there's not a lot of fear here. There's more excitement than nervousness or fear." Devenny added that he hoped Northern Ireland can “show our quality” despite being big underdogs against the star side. “It's very exciting to play against one of the best teams in the world, if not the best,” he said. "Even if their starting XI comes off, you know their XI will be of a different class. It will be a great occasion and it's good to challenge ourselves. I hope we can show our quality too.