Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill said tough words at half-time brought “the reaction we wanted” as his players delivered Thursday’s 3-1 World Cup qualifying win over Luxembourg.
Jamie Reid netted an early opener after Isaac Price’s penalty was saved but Aiman Dardari equalised on the half-hour mark.
Shea Charles restored Northern Ireland’s lead 25 seconds into the second half, and Justin Devenny secured the win moments after Seid Korac was sent off for the hosts.
“I thought we started the game very well, we were on the front foot and the penalty helped us obviously,” O’Neill told BBC Sport NI.
“We dropped a gear after the goal, let them into it and the goal was coming. We had to get into them at half-time as there were things we could have done better, but we got the reaction we wanted.”
Defender Conor Bradley explained that O’Neill “had a little bit of a go” at the team during the interval.
O’Neill was pleased his players came through the test, even if they had a helping hand.
“The red card helped, but I think it was a decision that was merited,” O’Neill said. “Delighted to get the 3-1 win.”