Justin Devenny asserts that Northern Ireland has officially “moved on” from their World Cup playoff loss to Italy.
Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean scored in Bergamo, putting an end to Northern Ireland’s hopes of qualifying for their first World Cup in 40 years.
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Looking ahead, Northern Ireland will need to regroup quickly for a friendly match against Wales in Cardiff on Tuesday.
Although the atmosphere will be subdued compared to what both teams had initially anticipated, Devenny from Crystal Palace believes it provides an opportunity for the players to “start fresh.”
Northern Ireland is scheduled for more friendlies in June before embarking on their Nations League campaign in September, where they will face Georgia, Hungary, and Ukraine.
“For us, it’s about establishing momentum and fostering positivity within the squad to build upon,” Devenny stated.
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“International breaks can feel quite long due to the limited time spent together as a team, so we hope to finish strong.”
The team will miss Ali McCann and Dan Ballard, who were sidelined with injuries during the match in Italy. Additionally, defenders Ruairi McConville and Paddy McNair have returned to their clubs, Norwich City and Hull City, with knee and thigh injuries respectively, while goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell is dealing with a back issue.
The starting lineup in Italy featured just one player over the age of 24, and Devenny, at only 22, believes that the relatively young squad’s shared experiences have helped them cope with the disappointment of World Cup qualification.
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“Everyone supports one another,” the versatile Crystal Palace player remarked. “The age dynamic plays a role, and having that bond means we all feel the loss together. We uplift each other, which is what makes a strong team.” He emphasized the importance of community within the group, where everyone looks out for one another.
Wales, on the other hand, will also be reeling after narrowly missing out in a penalty shootout against Bosnia-Herzegovina. Devenny acknowledged that Craig Bellamy’s side is “a strong team.”
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“We’ve done some analysis on them, but we will focus on implementing our own game plan as well,” he said. “We aim to showcase our quality, as there’s a lot of talent in our squad. While they’re undoubtedly a formidable team, our priority is executing our game plan and displaying what we can do.”