Northern Ireland cruise to stunning Nations League win over Ukraine

Nations League Ukraine 0 - 3 N Ireland Ciaron Brown's first international goals came as a pair to help a young Northern Ireland side stun Ukraine 3-0 and go clear at the top of Nations League Group B2. Brown, the only player in Michael O'Neill's starting line-up over the age of 24, scrambled in early on before Isaac Price doubled the lead in the 22nd minute at the Stadion Antona Malatinskeho in Trnava, Slovakia. Brown's second then came in bizarre fashion just after the hour – the 28-year-old Oxford defender went up to flick on Pierce Charles' free-kick from inside the Northern Ireland half and Ukraine goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk let the bouncing ball through his legs. On paper this was the hardest game in the group, away to a side ranked 37 places above Northern Ireland, but they brushed Ukraine aside to move on to seven points from their opening three games since returning to their second tier, still yet to concede going into Monday's clash with Georgia in Belfast. This was the first competitive meeting with Ukraine since Northern Ireland's famous 2-0 win at Euro 2016, and they delivered a performance which will have fans believing a major tournament beckons for this new generation. O'Neill made three changes from Monday's goalless draw against Hungary – one enforced with Ethan Galbraith one of two players, Callum Marshall the other, absent for personal reasons. Justin Devenny and Patrick Kelly also dropped out as Brodie Spencer, Terry Devlin and teenager Kieran Morrison came in, with the 19-year-old Morrison, on loan at Sheffield Wednesday from Liverpool, helping to bring the average age down to a flat 22, Northern Ireland's youngest post-war starting eleven. A positive start from Northern Ireland was quickly rewarded as Morrison floated a corner to the back post where Ruairi McConville headed it back for Brown, earning his 33rd cap, to prod home despite the desperate efforts of Illia Zabarnyi on the line. Ukraine bossed the ball but struggled to break down Northern Ireland. Georgiy Sudakov was the first to get a sight of goal but his 19th-minute effort was straight at Charles. Moments later Northern Ireland doubled their lead. As they countered, Morrison's first-time ball into the box was met powerfully by Price at the back post – giving Morrison an assist in his first competitive international. It was Price's 11th international goal, but his first since last September's 3-1 loss to Germany in Cologne, having gone 10 appearances without finding the net. Isaac Price scores Northern Ireland's second (AP Photo/Denes Erdos) Charles clawed away a powerful strike from Eduard Sarapii, but although Northern Ireland were needing to do a lot of defending a Ukraine side sporting 10 changes for a second straight match created few clear chances. Mykola Matviyenko threatened less than two minutes after the restart but that was a false dawn for the hosts, who found themselves three down thanks to Riznyk's horror moment in the 61st minute, with Brown's header trickling over the line. Ukraine substitute Matvii Ponomarenko hit the outside of the post but a shellshocked Ukraine side rarely looked like getting back into it. Late on Ceadach O'Neill came off the bench to make his fourth Northern Ireland appearance, ending any discussion of a possible switch to the Republic of Ireland for the Arsenal teenager.