Northern Ireland captain Steven Davis surpassed country legend Pat Jennings to become the most capped player in yesterday night’s win over Bosnia-Herzegovina. A thrilling occasion for Davis was made even more spectacular with Northern Ireland progressing via a penalty shoot-out.
It seems particularly fitting that Davis’ 120th appearance for his country went to 120 minutes before going to penalties. Davis expressed how his side ‘didn’t do it the easy way’, but was extremely proud at the end of the match.
Northern Ireland Captain Steven Davis Becomes the Country’s Most Capped Player
Play-Off Final Set With Slovakia
The celebrations would have lasted late into the night for Davis and co, but there is still work to do. Yesterday night’s win over Bosnia has set Northern Ireland with a game against Slovakia in November.
The significance of the tie against Slovakia is extremely high, with Northern Ireland needing a win to progress through to the re-scheduled Euros. The Slovakians themselves experienced similar triumph yesterday night, by beating the Republic of Ireland on penalties. In a cagey game with very few chances, Slovakia remained cooler after 120 minutes.
Big Footballing Names Congratulate Davis on His Achievement With Northern Ireland
Steven Davis’ achievement has not gone unnoticed, and people at the top end of football have had their say. Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman, who managed Davis at Southampton between 2014 and 2016, spoke very highly of the player. Speaking to Sky Sports, the Dutchman said: “Big, big hug from me. Reaching that amount of games is unbelievable. Congratulations again.”
Rangers legend Ally McCoist and current manager Steven Gerrard were also amongst those who paid tribute. Additionally, other big names congratulating the Rangers midfielder included Virgil van Dijk, Adam Lallana and former Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill.
Something that will particularly make the Rangers star smile are the comments made by Mauricio Pochettino. Not only did the former Southampton gaffer congratulate Davis on the huge achievement, but he went on to claim that “the talent of him I compare to football people like Xavi and Iniesta.”
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