Northern Ireland skipper Trai Hume hailed the impact of Kelly and Michael O’Neill’s brave young side afterwards. Their average age was just over 22
Northern Ireland came away from Lille with more than just a Pat on the back last night, despite a sparkling Michael Olise hat-trick for France.
Patrick Kelly’s second half goal rattled Didier Deschamps’ Bleus as they head for the World Cup as many people’s favourites.
The Barnsley man got on the end of Shea Charles’ cross to briefly silence the partisan home crowd, making it 2-1, before Olise got the farewell party going again with a stunning third goal.
Northern Ireland skipper Trai Hume hailed the impact of Kelly and Michael O’Neill’s brave young side afterwards. Their average age was just over 22.
“I thought the boys were outstanding,” said Sunderland man Hume. “We done our analysis and knew we could get them in the transition and that’s what we done.
“I thought PK (Kelly) was outstanding. The young lads all were. If you want to play international football you hgave to come and play in atmospheres like this and play big teams.
“They are favourites to win the World Cup. We gave a good account of ourselves.”
Hume and an overworked Northern Ireland defence handled most of what a star-studded French side threw at them.
Kylian Mbappe, Désiré Doué, Ousmane Dembele and Rayan Cherki were held at bay, but Bayern Munich ace Olise could not be stopped, with each of his goals better than the last in Lille.
Hume was disappointed that Northern Ireland could not deny the best attacking line-up in world football vital possession.
“I thought we worked so hard, we were so honest. We defended so well in parts, but it comes down to looking after ball when you get it,” Hume said.
“It felt like we defended for 80 minutes. The boys were outstanding but, if I had one little thing to work on, it would be managing the ball a bit better.”
Olise struck either side of half-time, both goals unerring finishes on the rebound, and after Kelly pulled one back the Bayern Munich man delivered a superb curling strike to settle it in the 75th minute.
But France, among the favourites to lift the World Cup this summer, hardly had things all their own way as Northern Ireland – whose starting XI had an average age of just 22.6 – dug in to produce another determined display showing maturity beyond their years.
And that was rewarded in the 64th minute when Kelly, the 21-year-old making only his second international start, turned in a Shea Charles cross, silencing the crowd to deliver on O’Neill’s plea for his players to act as “badly-behaved guests” at France’s going-away party.
Didier Deschamps, taking charge of France for the final time on home soil, fielded a side which could well be the starting XI for their World Cup opener against Senegal on June 16, with Mbappe, Dembele, Doue and Olise forming an imposing front four.
Northern Ireland almost created an early chance for Isaac Price but, as smoke from the pre-match fireworks hung over the pitch under the closed roof of Lille’s Stade Pierre Mauroy stadium, the pattern was set with action concentrated at the other end.
Mbappe curled a shot narrowly wide before Doue’s tame effort was gathered by Pierce Charles.
Northern Ireland broke as Price crossed for Kelly, who peeled away to make space but hit a low shot just wide of a post.
With 20 minutes gone, Aurelien Tchouameni’s low shot from distance struck a post. Doue picked up the rebound and crossed for Mbappe to finish, but the flag was up against the Paris St Germain winger.
With every passing minute O’Neill’s men were growing in confidence and stature and they threatened again when Shea Charles’ superb pass almost fell for Kelly in front of goal.
Instead France got the breakthrough two minutes before half-time. Doue’s cross found Dembele and when his shot was blocked Olise slotted in.
Jamie Donley poked home for Northern Ireland in first-half stoppage time, but Ruairi McConville was guilty of a push on Theo Hernandez as he beat him to Price’s cross.
Three minutes into the second half it was 2-0. Pierce Charles could not hold substitute Malo Gusto’s cross and when Trai Hume blocked Hernandez’s header it fell for Olise to rifle home.
Mbappe, one shy of Olivier Giroud’s record of 57 goals for France, hooked a shot over from Hernandez’s cross before Maxence Lacroix was equally wasteful from a similar position.
As the home chances piled up, Northern Ireland then hit France on the counter-attack.
Justin Devenny’s pass found the run of Shea Charles, who got the better of Dayot Upamecano before playing in a low ball for Kelly to tuck home.
Mbappe fired over again before Olise killed the contest with the pick of the goals, cutting in off the right and curling a shot into the far corner, and Northern Ireland defended doggedly to ensure there was no further damage.
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