Northern Ireland 0-0 Romania: Michael O'Neill's side and group leaders share the spoils at Windsor Park

• Romania create the better chances in goalless draw at windy Windsor Park
• Gabriel Torje fails to make Gareth McAuley pay for error with deflected shot
• Kyle Lafferty misses headed effort from point-blank range late on
• Northern Ireland remain second in Group F one point behind Romania

By Chris Wheeler for MailOnline

Published: 15:35 EST, 13 June 2015 | Updated: 17:07 EST, 13 June 2015

It wasn’t pretty and it wasn’t always comfortable. But at the end of a tense night in Belfast, Northern Ireland had a point against Group F leaders Romania and had taken another small step on the road to France.

A first appearance at a major finals for 30 years is still on the cards for Michael O’Neill and his team. The manager has set a target of 18 points for qualification and now has 13 with four games remaining. They will never have a better chance.

Ireland might have missed out on a chance to go top ahead of Romania, and actually finished the day with their advantage over third-placed Hungary cut to two points, but their destiny is still very much in their own hands.

Northern Ireland's striker Kyle Lafferty vies with Romania's Dragos Grigore during the Euro 2016 qualifier

Lafferty grapples for possession with Grigore during the first-half at a sunny but windy Windsor Park in Belfast

It was a tight and tentative encounter that saw Ireland play their most enterprising football at the end of either half at a disjointed Windsor Park which still has three stands under construction, reducing the crowd to 10,000. The stadium should be finished by the time the European Championships roll around next year to stage a fitting send-off if O’Neill completes the remarkable rebuilding job of his own.

News of Hungary’s win over Finland in Budapest, moving them up to within a point of Ireland before kick-off, certainly raised the stakes.

Ireland had already been forced into a late change after veteran goalkeeper Roy Carroll was ruled out with an abdominal problem on Friday, meaning a first competitive international for Michael McGovern of Hamilton Academicals and a place among 12 substitutes on the bench for goalkeeper coach Maik Taylor at the age of 43.

It needed McGovern’s defence to be rock-solid in front of him but no sooner had Claudio Keseru flashed an early freekick just past the post than Gareth McAuley’s slip allowed Alexander Chipciu a free run into the box in the sixth minute, requiring a fantastic interception tackle from Steven Davis to clear the danger.

The Norwich City striker appeals a decision that goes against him as the Romania defence kept him at bay

Chris Baird jumps to win an aerial duel with Romania's Alexandru Maxim as both sides settled for a draw

Northern Ireland's defender Gareth McAuley is put under pressure by Romania's forward Claudiu Keseru

Lafferty was monitored throughout the 90 minutes but the 27-year-old could have been the match winner

Chipciu should then have done a lot better than fire wildly over from 15 yards after danger man Gabriel Torje jinked his way to the edge of the six-yard box as the Romanians continued to play with the confidence of a team that had only dropped two points and conceded one goal in five previous qualifiers.

Ireland, in contrast, looked hesitant at the back and McGovern had to be on his toes to prevent Keseru’s inswinging corner from creeping in at his near post.

The home team’s only moments of promise up to that point came when Kyle Lafferty – scorer of five goals in their five Group F ties – fell over his own feet as he chased a ball into the box, and then drilled a tame effort straight at Ciprian Tatarusanu from 20 yards.

Lafferty shields the ball from Grigore but he was unable to add to impressive tally of five qualifying goals

Michael O'Neill gave first competitive starts to Hamilton goalkeeper Michael McGovern and Stuart Dallas

But Ireland suddenly opened up in the closing minutes before half-time, Stuart Dallas firing against the upright following their best move of the half even though he had already been penalised for handball, and Jonny Evans forcing Tatarusanu to tip over the bar with a header from Chris Brunt’s corner.

For the most part, though, it was a cagey first half between two teams who both knew that a draw wouldn’t be the worst result in the world and were giving little away. That much was clear from a fearsome 50-50 challenge between Conor McLaughlin and Mihai Pintilii which left the Romania midfielder needing treatment and quite rightly receiving a yellow card.

Laszio Sepsi followed his teammate into the notebook of referee Carlos Velasco Carballo for a challenge on Lafferty moments after the restart, and the freekick was cleared as far as Dallas whose low drive from 25 yards was only inches wide of the post.

Lafferty then steered a header narrowly over from Brunt’s cross before McGovern was called into action again by Keseru’s snap shot.

Northern Ireland remain in second place behind Romania and ahead of third-placed Hungary in Group F

Romania striker Ivan Lorenzo takes on Chris Brunt during the second-half of the stalemate at Windsor Park

Northern Ireland manager O'Neills shakes the hand of his Romanian counterpart Anghel Iordanescu

The Northern Ireland players leave the Windsor Park pitch at the final whistle sensing a missed opportunity

But Ireland’s hearts were in their mouths after 65 minutes when McAuley again gave the ball away in a bad area and to Torje of all people. The little No.11 weaved his way into the box and only a desperate last-ditch challenge from Evans took the ball off his toes and sent it bobbling past the post.

Again Ireland roused themselves towards the end of the half, Chris Baird and Lafferty both shooting straight at Tatarusanu as the Romanians were rocked back on their heels.

In the end, there was no victory to match the one over Romania in 1984 en route to the World Cup in Mexico, Ireland’s last appearance at a major finals. But, for now, a point will do. 

Martin O'Neill: I'm enjoying International management

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