Bradley 'buzzing' with first NI goal in win over Scots

Conor Bradley, the defender from Northern Ireland, excitedly expressed his joy after he scored the game-winning goal against Scotland, who is qualified for Euro 2024, in Hampden Park.

The goal scored by Bradley, which was accidentally redirected by an opposing player, during the 32nd minute proved to be significant in the Liverpool defender's impressive ascension.

Scotland have been unable to win in seven consecutive matches, contrasting with Northern Ireland who have managed to remain unbeaten in their past three matches.

"I couldn't have imagined it unfolding as it did," expressed 20-year-old Bradley in an interview with BBC Sport NI.

The first goal of the defender was unexpected as Scotland was struggling from a previous loss of 4-0 against the Netherlands on Friday.

At Hampden Park, Scotland had more of the ball than the opposing team coached by Michael O'Neill. However, they had difficulty penetrating their defense and scoring goals in a noisy environment.

The group of fans who were travelling to show their support were extremely excited when Bradley made a stunning curling shot that hit Jack Hendry and flew into the upper part of the goal, resulting in Bradley achieving his first international goal.

Shea Charles had an opportunity to score a second goal before the halftime, however, the Northern Ireland team adopted a defensive strategy and allowed Scotland to take control of the game. Despite their efforts, Scotland wasn't able to create a decisive chance, resulting in O'Neill's team achieving a historic victory.

Bradley expressed that he honestly wished for the ball to enter the goal.

I am not even aware of what occurred next. Achieving a 1-0 victory is absolutely amazing and it was a wonderful night altogether.

In my opinion, there is still room for improvement, but overall, the performance was impressive. There were moments where we could have shown more proficiency with the ball.

"It's amazing to have defended for the entire 90 minutes and leave Hampden with a clean sheet. Scotland has a fantastic team with numerous Premier League players; hence reaching the Euros. Hats off to them!"

"A Brilliant Ending"

O'Neill, the manager, expressed his joy for Bradley, who played a vital role in the team's recent success, in Northern Ireland.

According to O'Neill, Conor scored an outstanding goal.

When we were in Bucharest, I was really impressed by his performance as a wing back. So today, we decided to test him in a slightly different position to see if we could utilize his high level of energy on that part of the field.

"He provided us with that and certainly the objective illustrates it. Additionally, he possesses a unique skill to generate a gap for the strike. The execution is superb."

O'Neill mentioned that although his team achieved their first victory over Scotland at Hampden Park in 41 years, he believes his players could further enhance their performance.

We are thrilled with the outcome. It was an exceptional display, a robust exhibition of skill.

Our defensive strategy was top-notch. We had to surrender the ball on numerous occasions. However, we were able to withstand the pressure and display our strength on the counterattack a few times.

I thought there were a few areas where we needed improvement. We struggled with connecting our plays and had some turnovers, but the team's enthusiasm and determination for the game was outstanding. The distance they covered and the energy they exerted was truly amazing.

"We may not have executed the counter attack strategy as effectively as we did in the first half, but all in all, it's a fantastic outcome for the team, which is currently in a state of development and progress. To achieve such a result in this context is commendable for the boys."