Northern Ireland WU17s were narrowly defeated by Montenegro in their opening UEFA Euro 2nd qualifying round group game in Belfast.
Montenegro took the lead after just four minutes, a ball over the top was latched onto by striker Teodora Cebalovic to apply a smart finish.
Northern Ireland bounced back just two minutes later, when Maja Stachura found Jessica McGuinness 30 yards out and she blasted the ball into the back of the net.
Senita Kalac put in a player of the match performance in the visitors’ goal, producing a string of good saves, before her side regained the lead on 21 minutes from Jana Merdovic’s free-kick.
Stachura shot wide after finding herself one-on-one with the keeper, who also came out on top when Emilee Leacock got through on goal.
Northern Ireland did have the ball in the net on 81 minutes, but McGuinness was adjudged to have been in an offside position when she clipped the ball home.
Matchday two is on Thursday (20 March) with the Irish taking on Kazakhstan at Inver Park at 4pm, after Estonia and Montenegro will meet at Seaview with a 12.30pm kick off.
