Saville comes on for Northern Ireland as Hatters teen earns Cyprus U21s start
Lawrence and Stitt both in action as well
Luton midfielder George Saville won his 64th cap for Northern Ireland as they earned a 1-1 draw against Wales in their international challenge match in Cardiff on Tuesday night.
With both sides having been beaten in their World Cup semi-final play-offs last week, it was the hosts who had the first clear-cut chance of the game when Lewis Koumas’s deflected strike was parried by keeper Conor Hazard. A dangerous Isaac Price cross almost found Paddy Kelly and Terry Devlin as they raced towards the back post, but Northern Ireland were then ahead on 22 minutes when Justin Devenny’s cross found Jamie Donley free inside the area, as although his header hit the post, he was able to half-volley the rebound into the net.
Four minutes later, Trai Hume’s foray forward saw him find Kelly, with his low cross met by Donley, whose effort was comfortably saved by Karl Darlow. Wales began to turn the screw through, Eoin Toal clearing Joel Colwill’s powerful header, while Harry Wilson’s dangerous cross was also repelled.
The visitors then pressed for a second themselves, Price’s audacious 45-yard effort tipped behind for a corner by Darlow, as from the set-piece, Shea Charles almost guided the ball home at the back post. Just before half-time, Wilson scooped a free-kick wide from 30 yards, as Saville was then introduced for Charles at the interval.
However, Craig Bellamy’s side were level just 60 seconds in, David Brooks finding Sorba Thomas, who was able to beat substitute goalkeeper Pierce Charles. The replacement superbly pushed away Neco Williams’ free-kick, as Michael O’Neill’s visitors almost moved ahead again, Darlow splendidly denying Toal. Late on, Saville blocked a drive from Brooks as the contest finished all square.
» Luton academy graduate Zach Ioannides made his first start for Cyprus U21s on Tuesday, playing the full 90 minutes of his country’s 3-0 defeat against Finland U21s in their Euro U21s Championships qualifier. Matias Siltanen put Finland ahead on 21 minutes at the Tammelan Stadion, with a penalty, while Juho Talvitie made it 2-0 just before the hour mark, Jimi Tauriainen completing the scoring late on.
» Town’s on-loan Manchester City attacker Emilio Lawrence came off the bench for Scotland U21s in their 3-0 defeat at Portugal U21s which means their hopes of reaching the European U21s Championship are now in severe doubt.
The visitors were pinned inside their own third for much of the game at the Estádio António Coimbra da Mota in Estoril, Roger Fernandes opening the scoring on the half hour, Daniel Banjaqui making it 2-0 just minutes before the interval. Goncalo Moreira added a third in the second period, as Lawrence came on for his seventh cap with 10 minutes to go. Scotland are third in their qualification group with 11 points, three behind Czechia and five behind Portugal, who have a game in hand.
» Luton youngster Dylan Stitt started for Northern Ireland U19s as they beat Kazakhstan 1-0 in their U19 Euro 2026 Elite Round qualifier on Tuesday night.
Blaine McClure missed an early penalty after George Feeney was fouled, keeper Sayatkhan Kussainov saving well, with the midfielder also putting the rebound. Kazakhstan, who defeated Romania 2-0 and lost 3-0 to Ukraine in their first two Group Five matches, then pushed forward, with captain Azamat Tuyakbayev shooting wide and having an effort blocked.
After the break, Northern Ireland won another spotkick on 55 minutes, Ceadach O’Neill hauled down inside the area by Chingis Kaliyev, as he dusted himself down to hammer the penalty into the net. Keeper Josh Gracey saved well from Aldiyar Nurgali, before Tuyakbayev deservedly got a second yellow card and his marching orders, after another rough challenge, on Senan Devine. The result means Northern Ireland, who narrowly lost 1-0 to table-toppers Ukraine in their first match, finished second in their elite round group.