Northern Ireland put to the sword as Pedri leads swashbuckling Spain to victory in Palma

This was the confidence boosting performance and victory Spain sought, saying ‘Adios’ to their homeland in style before heading to the Euro 2024 Finals in Germany, while for Northern Ireland’s young team, after three excellent and encouraging displays, this was a crushing insight into the elite levels of international football.

Drawing away to Romania and beating Denmark and Scotland was fantastic for the growth and confidence of O’Neill’s new era side but they might learn more from this heavy loss to a Spain team overflowing with youthful talent of their own.

When World Cup qualifying comes around next year, Northern Ireland will face opposition like this and they’ll know make one mistake and it will cost you. Lose shape and discipline, even for a moment, and it will cost you.

That’s what happened on occasions in the atmospheric Estadi Mallorca Son Moix, and on others Spain were just simply too good, too slick, too quick and too sharp. They are a classy side.

After being in a training camp here for over a week, O’Neill opted to stick with a three man defence that served him well in recent internationals.

Bailey Peacock-Farrell kept his place in goal with Jonny Evans returning to captain the side alongside Ballard and Eoin Toal in the backline. From the 1-0 victory at Hampden in March, Evans replaced Paddy McNair, who hours earlier was having his own match of the day by getting married.

The wing backs were Trai Hume and Jamal Lewis, with Conor Bradley, Shea Charles and Caolan Boyd-Munce in midfield. What a night for the 24-year-old St Mirren man making his senior international debut. In attack, Isaac Price was chosen to support Jamie Reid.

As expected, Spain went strong, with this their last match before they kick off their Euro 2024 campaign versus Croatia in Germany next weekend.

Manchester City’s outstanding Premier League winning star Rodri was in midfield and Barcelona’s 16-year-old superkid Lamine Yamal was on one flank and another exciting young talent Nico Williams from Athletic Bilbao was on the other, with Alvaro Morata between them.

Kick-off was at 9.30pm local time, allowing for the temperatures to drop to a more manageable level for the players, though there were still cooling off breaks during the game.

Chants of ‘Espana, Espana, Espana’ echoed around the ground from the home fans at kick-off but just 69 seconds in they were silenced when Ballard headed the visitors into a shock lead.

Bradley pressed high and hard to win a free-kick which was expertly delivered by Boyd-Munce for the Sunderland defender to rise high and send the ball over Unai Simon and into the net.

How the Green and White Army savoured that moment as Ballard celebrated the perfect opening.

Fearful of Bradley’s pace and power, Robin le Normand was booked five minutes in for a foul on the Liverpool star when he threatened to break clear.

Spain looked rattled and were surprisingly wasteful in possession early on, with Charles winning the ball from his former Manchester City colleague Rodri leading to Price hitting the side netting.

For the opening ten minutes, Northern Ireland were passing their Spanish test with an A grade.

It’s a shame there was another 80 to go because from then on they were given a harsh Spanish lesson, with La Roja’s own young guns turning on the heat, ramping up the pace and piling on the skill.

Barcelona’s Pedri and Williams (both 21) were sensational in a 25-minute first half spell, and then there was the breathtaking ability of Yamal, who is just 16 and poised to become the youngest player ever to feature in the European Championship Finals.

It’s difficult dealing with the quality that Spain possess but what will have disappointed O’Neill was the space and time afforded to Pedri in the 12th minute when he moved forward unchallenged before smashing in an equaliser from outside the box.

Luis de la Fuente’s side moved into overdrive after that. On 18 minutes an inviting cross was powerfully headed home by Alvaro Morata to give Spain the lead and with the crowd baying for more, the red shirts gave them what they desired.

A lightning break from Williams down the left leaving defenders in his wake was followed by a super cross finished by Pedri just before the half hour mark.

O’Neill’s team were being ripped apart, with Fabian Ruiz, denied earlier by Bailey Peacock-Farrell, netting from close range after 35 minutes following delightful play and a sumptuous cross from Yamal.

The kid should be studying in a classroom yet here he was schooling Northern Ireland.

To the away side’s credit they were still putting in total effort and looking dangerous on the rare occasions they had the ball in Spain’s half, with Simon saving from Charles and Price blasting over the bar seconds before the break.

To try and stem the flow, O’Neill made two changes at the break with Corry Evans and Jordan Thompson coming on for Boyd-Munce and Eoin Toal.

It didn’t work initially with the visitors conceding a sloppy fifth to substitute Mikel Oyarzabal on 60 minutes.

Spain continued to dominate but with a host of changes disrupting the game they lost the rhythm of the first half.

It was Northern Ireland actually who came closest to scoring late on after unselfish play from substitute Dale Taylor set up Price but his effort was saved by Simon.

Tough going for the visitors. It should be much easier when they face Andorra on Tuesday.

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