Northern Ireland u21’s can re-energize their Euro 2023 qualifying projects by stringing together a pair of wins over the next few days.
After a poor start in Group C which included defeats away from home against the top two seeds, the Irish can move onto 9 points with simultaneous victories over Lithuania and Malta at home.
Finishing second-place in the group ensures a play-off against another group runner-up for a place in the finals in Georgia and Romania, so Northern Ireland must aim to dislodge the Russians from that second spot, while keeping an eye on Slovakia whom they’ve already defeated at home.