A late own goal rescued a 1-1 draw for Northern Ireland in the first leg of their opening Euro 2025 play-off with Croatia in Varaždin.
Izabela Lojna blasted home an early penalty for Croatia after a defensive mix-up from NI.
Tanya Oxtoby’s side struggled to get to grips with the bumpy pitch at the Gradski Stadion Varteks, but Lojna deflected substitute Casey Howe’s low cross into the net in the 92nd minute to hand them a lifeline.
The two sides will now meet in Belfast on Tuesday night where NI will have to produce a markedly better performance to reach the second round of the play-offs.
Poor start from NI on bumpy pitch
Connie Schofield was handed her first international start in one of three changes made by Oxtoby from Northern Ireland’s 2-0 win against Bosnia-Herzegovina in July.
Lauren Wade and Simone Magill returned as Casey Howe dropped to the bench and Kerry Beattie missed out with injury.
Although Magill was named new Northern Ireland captain, Laura Rafferty was given the armband on her 50th cap.
She got off to the worst possible start to the milestone occasion however as she played her part in gifting Croatia a penalty on three minutes.
Ana Markovic drove down the right and played a low ball into the box, with Rafferty and Jackie Burns getting in each other’s way as they tried to clear.
The goalkeeper brought down Ivana Rudelic in her desperate attempt to claw the ball away and the referee immediately pointed to the spot.
Lojna stepped up and emphatically smashed the ball into the top corner to give the hosts a shock lead.
Late own goal gives NI hope
The goal jolted Northern Ireland into life, and they almost equalised on six minutes.
Danielle Maxwell advanced to the byeline before cutting the ball back to Magill, whose effort from a tight angle cannoned off the underside crossbar.
Rafferty then had an effort deflected narrowly wide from a corner before Magill squandered another good chance on 17 minutes.
Keri Halliday burst down the left-hand side and found the Birmingham City striker in the box, but she failed to keep her shot down as it landed on the roof of the net.
The first half petered out as Northern Ireland failed to string passes together on the uneven surface which disrupted their passing game.
It was an equally scrappy start to the second half from visitors, who struggled to get going.
Rebecca Holloway curled a low free-kick wide with Rudelic off target for the hosts.
Northern Ireland pushed hard for an equaliser, with Oxtoby introducing Nottingham Forest winger Howe to inject life into the game.
And she did just that in the second of seven additional minutes, collecting the ball from fellow substitute Louise McDaniel and playing in a cross to the front post which was inadvertently stabbed into her own net by Lojna as she tried to clear.
Oxtoby will know they will need a much more assured display to get over the line on Tuesday.