Northern Ireland's Euro 2024 qualification hopes diminished with 4-0 defeat to Finland

Northern Ireland’s aspirations for the 2024 European Championships suffered a substantial setback on Friday evening, as they endured a comprehensive 4-0 defeat to Finland in Helsinki. This defeat marks Northern Ireland’s seventh loss in nine qualifying matches, significantly reducing their chances of progressing from Group H.

Despite an optimistic start, they fell behind just before half-time with Joel Pohjanpalo converting a penalty. Finland dominated the second half, securing goals from Daniel Hakans, Teemu Pukki, and Robin Lod. The injury-hit Northern Ireland side, missing 12 first-team players, including key starters, struggled against Finland’s superior quality.

The defeat adds to Northern Ireland’s challenging campaign, winning only three of their last 16 matches and scoring three goals in nine Euro 2024 qualifiers. With matches against top-seed Denmark looming, reaching the finals in Germany next summer now appears increasingly unlikely. This heavy defeat underscores the impact of injuries on their progression, prompting manager Michael O’Neill to contemplate what could have been with a fully fit squad.