Keri Halliday Shines as Northern Ireland Thrashes Malta 4-0 in World Cup Qualifier
In a stunning turnaround, Northern Ireland showcased their scoring prowess with a commanding 4-0 victory over Malta in a World Cup qualifier held on Tuesday. This match marked a significant moment as it was Michael McArdle's first game in charge, leading to a much-needed boost in confidence for the team. Keri Halliday, the young winger, made headlines by scoring her first two international goals and providing an assist. Having previously excelled at Linfield with 53 goals in 85 appearances, Halliday’s performance solidified her role in the squad, especially during her loan from Hearts to Motherwell. Halliday expressed her joy, stating, "It means a lot with my family there. Dad did say it was coming and he was right." She praised McArdle’s approach, saying, "Michael is a lovely man, he's had all faith and confidence in us to go out and get points from these games." McArdle’s focus on developing a more attack-minded team was evident, with five players under the age of 25 in the starting lineup. Notably, Cora Chambers made her senior debut off the bench, highlighting the emphasis on youth. With Simone Magill absent due to her pregnancy, Rebecca McKenna stepped up as captain, leading from the back and contributing to the team's attacking efforts. McArdle, known for his work in developing young talent during his time with the Scottish FA, aims to harness this youthful energy as Northern Ireland looks to secure a World Cup play-off. Halliday concluded, "We hadn't scored yet on the campaign so to come out and score four is something we wanted to do and hopefully keep that up for the away game." This victory signals a potential new chapter for Northern Ireland football.
Source: BBC Sport - 2026-04-15