Luxembourg 1-3 Northern Ireland Player Ratings: Justin Devenny Rated 8.5/10 as Northern Ireland Thrashed the Home Side in a Clinical Display

What a chaotic display from Northern Ireland in the opening away at the Stade de Luxembourg. This was a game that had a bit of everything. It started with a bang, a penalty awarded by VAR within 10 minutes, only for Isaac Price to see his effort saved. But the drama didn't stop there. Jamie Reid pounced on the rebound to give his side an early lead. Luxembourg fought back into the match and scored the equalizer in the 30th minute.

However, Michael O'Neill's side came out for the second half with more intensity. They scored within a minute, as Shea Charles scored from outside the box to give his side the lead again. But the turning point was the red card for Seid Korac. It was just a moment of madness. After that, it felt like a matter of how many Northern Ireland would score. The away side added a third to seal a comprehensive 3-1 victory, a result that they thoroughly deserved based on their second-half performance. Here are the Luxembourg vs Northern Ireland player ratings.

Northern Ireland Player Ratings vs Luxembourg

Here are the Northern Ireland player ratings.

Goalkeeper

Bailey Peacock-Farrell - 6.0: We felt he couldn't do much about the goal conceded, it was a fine strike. He made a couple of decent saves when called upon. However, his distribution was a real worry. What stood out to us was his incredibly low pass completion rate.

Defenders

Paddy McNair - 6.5: A standard, no-fuss performance from McNair before he was substituted. He was solid, made five clearances, and his passing was tidy. He didn't do anything spectacular, but he also didn't make any mistakes.

E. Toal - 6.5: Looked very composed during his time on the pitch. His pass accuracy was excellent, and he read the game well to make a few important clearances. He won his only aerial duel, showing his physical presence.

Trai Hume - 7.5: Wore the captain's armband and played like a leader. He was magnificent. So calm in possession, barely misplaced a pass, and won almost every duel he contested. He was a rock at the back and provided a great foundation for the win.

Midfielders

Conor Bradley - 7.0: A bundle of energy down the flank. Bradley was a constant threat going forward, creating a big chance and always looking to take on his man. He worked hard defensively, too, drawing fouls and winning the ball back.

Ali McCann - 7.0: A proper battling performance from McCann. He was everywhere in the midfield, making five tackles and breaking up play effectively. He did pick up a deserved yellow card for his troubles, but that's the kind of player he is.

Shea Charles - 8.0: Scored a fantastic goal right after half-time that completely changed the complexion of the game. Beyond the goal, he was superb. He made four interceptions, showcasing his intelligence and reading of the game. A commanding performance in the middle of the park.

Justin Devenny - 8.5: What a game from this young man. He was absolutely everywhere. He scored a well-deserved goal, was unlucky to hit the woodwork with another effort, and created two chances for his teammates. Devenny was the best player on the pitch and the highest-rated player.

Forwards

Ethan Galbraith - 6.5: A bit of a quiet one for Galbraith in the final third. He worked incredibly hard and his link-up play was neat, but he lacked that killer instinct in front of the goal. He got into good positions but couldn't quite make the decisive impact.

J. Reid - 7.0: The classic poacher's goal. He was in the right place at the right time to tap home the rebound from the missed penalty. He looked sharp and caused problems before an unfortunate injury cut his game short. His goal set the tone for the team.

Isaac Price - 5.5: A very mixed evening for Price. You simply cannot miss a penalty at this level, and that brings his rating down significantly. To his credit, he didn't hide after the miss and kept trying to make things happen, but that failure from the spot was a huge moment.

Substitutes

Callum Marshall - 6.0: Came on for the injured Reid and looked lively.

Jamie Donley - N/A: Not on long enough to rate.

Ruairi McConville - N/A: Brought on to see out the game.

Dion Charles - N/A: A late cameo.

George Saville - N/A: Added fresh legs in midfield.

Manager

Michael O'Neill - 7.5: We thought he got his tactics spot on. The team started brightly and the decision to push hard at the start of the second half paid off spectacularly. His substitutions were sensible and helped manage the game well after the red card.

Luxembourg Player Ratings vs Northern Ireland

Here are the Luxembourg player ratings.

Goalkeeper

Anthony Moris - 7.5: Easily Luxembourg's best player. The penalty save was simply outstanding and kept his team in the match at a crucial time. He made several other important saves and couldn't be faulted for any of the three goals. A heroic effort in a losing cause.

Defenders

Seid Korac - 3.0: A disastrous performance. He conceded the penalty with a handball and then got himself sent off with a second yellow card. His reckless decisions single-handedly ruined any chance his team had of getting a result. A night to forget for the defender.

Enes Mahmutovic - 5.0: He really struggled against the movement and physicality of the Northern Ireland attackers. He was beaten too easily at times and looked off the pace. A tough assignment for him that he couldn't quite handle.

Dirk Carlson - 6.0: He fought hard and won the majority of his duels. He made a number of important clearances and was one of the few defenders who looked up for the battle. He did his best to hold the defence together but was let down by others.

Laurent Jans - 5.5: The captain had a difficult game. He didn't seem to offer the leadership required when his team went down to ten men. He was loose in possession and didn't contribute much going forward or defensively. We expected more from him.

Midfielders

Leandro Barreiro - 6.0: A combative display from Barreiro, who was constantly fouled. He worked tirelessly in the midfield and tried to break up play. However, his impact on the ball was minimal, and he failed to create anything of note for the forwards.

Danel Sinani - 6.5: A frustrating performance from Sinani. He provided a lovely assist for the goal and showed flashes of his quality. But what stood out was how often he lost possession - 20 times is far too many. He tried to make things happen, but it just wasn't his day.

Mathias Olesen - 5.5: Had a few efforts on goal, but they were speculative at best. He worked hard but lacked the quality needed to make a real difference in the final third. A fairly anonymous performance before being substituted.

Florian Bohnert - 5.0: Another player who struggled to get into the game. He was booked for a clumsy foul and offered very little going forward. It was no surprise to see him taken off. A forgettable evening for him.

Tomás Moreira - 5.0: Almost invisible before being subbed off after 65 minutes. He had very few touches of the ball and couldn't influence the game in any meaningful way. The match just passed him by.

Forwards

Aiman Dardari - 7.0: The one real bright spark for Luxembourg. He scored a brilliant goal from distance and looked like their most dangerous player by a mile. He was a constant threat with his dribbling until he was surprisingly substituted. A very promising performance.

Substitutes

Yvandro Borges Sanches - 6.0: Had a header saved shortly after coming on.

Edvin Muratovic - N/A: Came on late.

Michael Pinto - N/A: Not enough time to rate.

Enzo de Pina Duarte dos Santos - N/A: A very late substitution.

Manager

Jeff Strasser - 5.0: His team showed some spirit to get the equalizer, but they were tactically outclassed. They had no answer to Northern Ireland's intensity at the start of the second half. The red card made his job impossible, but they were already on the back foot by then.

Sportsdunia's Player of the Match is Justin Devenny