Northern Ireland’s women’s team is currently facing a tough stretch, recording six games without a victory or a clean sheet, and four games without scoring a goal. The situation calls for immediate solutions from new head coach Michael McArdle to help turn their fortunes around as they aim for a playoff spot in the 2027 World Cup qualifiers.
There’s a clear need for improvement, especially in terms of goal scoring. Under interim manager Kris Lindsay, the team showed some defensive resilience in losses to Switzerland and Turkey, though an error from goalkeeper Lauren Perry against Turkey proved costly.
While there is a foundation to build upon defensively, the offensive side is proving to be a challenge. In their match against Switzerland, Northern Ireland managed only one shot on target, and just two at home against Turkey.
The absence of captain and star striker Simone Magill, who is expecting her first child, leaves McArdle searching for new goal-scoring options. In his inaugural squad selection, he has included uncapped 22-year-old striker Cora Chambers alongside teenage player Kascie Weir from Glentoran.
Chambers previously enjoyed a successful partnership with Eve Reilly at Linfield, netting 20 goals in the Women’s Premiership last season. McArdle hopes to recognize her impressive performance since joining Linfield in 2024, where she has scored 39 goals in just 47 appearances.
“Cora brings an exciting energy to the team,” McArdle told BBC Sport NI. “Ahead of our match against Malta, we’ll focus on improving our attacking play. Cora’s performances over the last two years demonstrate her capability, and it’s right to reward her consistency.”
‘It’s about rediscovering that goalscoring instinct’
McArdle takes over a Northern Ireland team that hasn’t scored since June 2025 against Bosnia-Herzegovina [Getty Images]
However, McArdle stressed that it won’t just be Chambers tasked with breaking Northern Ireland’s goal drought; they haven’t scored since June 2025 when they drew 1-1 with Bosnia-Herzegovina. The upcoming matches in April against Malta could be an opportunity to change that.
Malta, currently at the bottom of Group B2 and equally winless in their first two games, could be the perfect opponent for McArdle’s side to shake off their goal-scoring slump and secure essential points in the quest for a playoff position. However, past encounters have shown that Malta can be a challenging opponent, having previously held Northern Ireland to a frustrating 0-0 draw in the Nations League after a convincing 2-0 win in Euro 2025 qualifying.
McArdle is aware that Malta will view these matches as their best chance to earn points as well. “While Simone isn’t available,” he noted, “it’s crucial that we utilize the strength and depth of our attacking options and that every player contributes to scoring, not just those in front.”
He added, “It’s been so long since we last scored, and we need to rediscover that goalscoring instinct and get the attack functioning well again. I’m hopeful that Cora and the other forwards can step up.”
McArdle has emphasized the need for a focused approach in the “final third” of the pitch throughout these upcoming games and the ongoing campaign, as they aim to overcome their habit of being shy in front of goal. “We want to showcase a high-energy, brave style of play. Our goal is to control the ball against Malta and make courageous decisions. Our staff is well-equipped to enhance our performance in the final third, and a lot of it comes down to confidence. Not having scored in several months can erode self-esteem, so we’ll work on boosting that in training.”