Healy’s effort in the 56th minute came too late to prevent the hitherto goal-shy Irish from breaking the world record for number of minutes played without scoring.
By the time the Preston North End forward nodded in a Keith Gillespie cross in front of 11,288 fans at Windsor Park, the home side had gone nearly 1,300 minutes without a goal at international level.
Northern Ireland trailed 3-0 at that point after strikes by Morten Pedersen (17th, 35th) and Steffen Iversen (43rd). And their celebrations would be tempered a minute later when Gillespie turned from assist hero to villain with an own goal (57th).
The North, then coached by Sammy McIlroy, had last scored in a 4-1 loss to Poland in Limassol on Feb. 13, 2002. But even as his new team’s winless streak extended to 15 matches, Sanchez could still afford a sigh of relief.
“That’s one monkey off our back; now we’ve got to get a victory under our belt,” he said. “I was really pleased with the players [because] 4-1 wasn’t really a fair reflection of the game. For me the second half was the start of my reign, the first half was goodbye to the old.”
Sanchez will get another chance to end Northern Ireland’s nearly two-and-a-half-year run without a win when he takes his new charges to Tallinn next month for a friendly with Estonia.
The North’s last victory was a 1-0 World Cup result over Malta in Valletta on Oct. 6, 2001.
FRENCH FORCE
France, the biggest hurdle that the Republic of Ireland are likely to face in the 2006 World Cup qualifiers, went to Brussels without their primary strikers and still came away with a 2-0 decision over Belgium.
Sidney Govou (45th) and Louis Saha (76th) did the damage in the absence of the injured Thierry Henry and David Trezeguet, as the European champs won their 14th straight international.
SWISS EDGED
Switzerland, another Irish World Cup nemesis, was stunned 2-1 in Rabat by a Moroccan side of mostly home-based players.
All three goals came in the last 12 minutes, with the Moroccans running to a 2-0 lead courtesy of Ahmed Ajeddou (78th) and Houcine Aiajour (81st) before the ever dependable Alexander Frei (89th) pulled one back.
The game, before a paltry 1,700 spectators, came four days after the Moroccans’ 2-1 loss to Tunisia in the African Nations Cup final, which meant that most of their overseas professionals were unavailable.
In Nicosia, Cyprus, Ireland’s first opponents in the 2006 qualifiers next September, crashed 2-0 to a Belarus selection. Maksim Romaschenko (56th, 70th) had a brace for the visitors.
HOMECOMING STAR
Israel, meanwhile, sent out a warning that they won’t be pushovers in the Republic’s qualifying group by thrashing Northern Ireland’s Group 6 opponents Azerbaijan 6-0 in Tel Aviv.
Teenage debutant Shlomi Arbeitman (9th, 65th, 69th) stole the show with a hat trick, while Idan Tal (24th pen) and Yaniv Katan (45th, 61st) were also on target for the Israelis, who were playing at home for the first time in a year.
UEFA, European soccer’s governing body, has banned Israel, who are scheduled to host Ireland in a World Cup qualifier in March next year, from playing competitive matches at home because of the security situation in the region. The ban is due to be reviewed in April.
The Israeli goal flood should be inspiring for Northern Ireland, who travel away to Azerbaijan in October.
CARDIFF ROMP
Wales were the most impressive of Northern Ireland’s Group 6 rivals in action last week as they trounced Scotland 4-0 in Cardiff behind Zambian-born local hero Robert Earnshaw’s dazzling hat trick (1st, 35th, 58th). Gareth Taylor (78th) finished off the Scots at the Millennium Stadium.
In neutral Spain, Poland, against whom the North open their World Cup campaign in Belfast on Sept. 4, blanked Slovenia 2-0 on connects by Sebastian Mila (23rd) and Andrzej Niedzielan (64th). Just 150 fans showed up for the friendly in the town of San Fernando.
And Group 6 favorites England were denied victory over Euro ’04 hosts Portugal in Faro by Pauleta’s powerfully swerving free kick in the 70th minute. The shot canceled out a 47th minute English goal credited to defender Ledley King.
RESULTS
In other midweek tuneups, the Czech Republic, Lansdowne Road’s next visitors for a March 31 friendly, twice pegged Italy back in a 2-all tie in Palermo.
Jiri Stajner (42nd) and Tomas Rosicky (89th) struck back for the in-form Czechs after goals by the Australian-bred Christian Vieri (14th) and Antonio Di Natale (86th).
Miroslav Klose (34th) and Carsten Ramelow (90th) tallied for Germany in a 2-1 decision over Croatia (Mato Neretljak, 86th) in Split; Arjen Robben’s blast (57th) led Holland past the United States, 1-0, in Amsterdam, and Denmark downed ailing Turkey, 1-0, in Adana, thanks to Martin Joergensen (32nd).
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