Northern Irish hopes hang in balance

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It means the province's hopes hang in the balance with one game remaining against the Czech Republic in Prague next month.

Martin Paterson and substitute Niall McGinn both came close but they were unable to break Slovakia's resistance.

Northern Ireland could have gone ahead inside 60 seconds when David Healy tested goalkeeper Jan Mucha after Martin Paterson played the ball back to him.

The visitors looked dangerous on the counter-attack and surged forward after 13 minutes but Jonny Evans got the better of Robert Vittek as he prepared to shoot.

Northern Ireland, though, were rocked back on their heels two minutes later when Slovakia made the breakthrough. Vladimir Weiss skipped past Evans and laid the ball into the path of Sestak, who made no mistake from close range.

The hosts raised the tempo in the second half and McCann delivered a cross into the path of Damien Johnson but he was off-balance and headed over the top in the 48th minute.

Paterson again came close two minutes later after being picked out by Healy on the left but Mucha reacted superbly to beat away his shot.

Slovakia made it 2-0 in the 66th minute following a swift counter-attack with substitute Holosko knocking the ball past Maik Taylor two minutes after stepping off the bench.

Substitute Niall McGinn almost pulled a goal back in the 71st minute, only for his effort to clip the angle of post and bar.