Northern Ireland 0-1 Switzerland: Controversial penalty hands Swiss advantage By Jack Wilkinson
Last Updated: 09/11/17 9:56pm
Northern Ireland's World Cup hopes hang by a thread after a contentious 1-0 defeat by Switzerland in the first leg of their play-off at Windsor Park.
The Swiss dominated the ball from start to finish but controversially took the lead on 58 minutes when Ricardo Rodriguez converted a penalty after Corry Evans was penalised for handball.
It means Northern Ireland, who failed to register a single shot on target, have it all to do in Sunday's return leg in Basel if they are to reach the World Cup finals for the first time since 1986.
Switzerland were perhaps unfortunate to find themselves in the play-offs having won nine of their 10 qualification games, but there was no sign of self-pity from the visitors - Fabian Schar's reckless tackle on Stuart Dallas fortunate to avoid more severe punishment.
Granit Xhaka had Switzerland's first chance, which he fired over from the edge of the area, before Michael McGovern's stunning fingertip save denied Haris Serefovic from steering Xherdan Shaqiri's cross home on 19 minutes
Northern Ireland settled as the half wore on but failed to threaten Yann Sommer's goal, and the Swiss continued their dominance immediately after the interval as Shaqiri's curling effort clipped the top of the bar.
Seferovic came within inches of breaking the deadlock on 55 minutes but he could not stretch enough to get on the end of Blerim Dzemaili's low cross.
But the Swiss finally made a breakthrough in contentious circumstances as Rodriguez sent McGovern the wrong way from 12 yards, after Evans was harshly adjudged to have blocked Shaqiri's goal-bound volley.
Keen to restore parity before Sunday's trip to Switzerland, Northern Ireland mounted a late rally but they failed to level the contest, Josh Magennis heading the hosts' best chance well wide on 71 minutes.
That left Switzerland to see out the victory which puts them in a strong position to reach Russia 2018, Northern Ireland will have to do it the hard way if they are to reach next summer's tournament.
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