Northern Ireland's youngsters sweep Ukraine aside 3-0 to go clear

Northern Ireland beat Ukraine 3-0 in Trnava to take charge of their Nations League group.

It was fast. It was fearless. And it came from the youngest team Northern Ireland have ever fielded. The win put Michael O'Neill's side three points clear of Hungary and Ukraine at the halfway point of the campaign, according to BBC Sport.

The Nations League is UEFA's tournament for national teams, played in leagues based on ranking, and Northern Ireland are playing in League B2 this season. They made their intent clear early. Ciaron Brown opened the scoring in the ninth minute. Isaac Price added the second from Kieran Morrison's cross. Brown then struck again to complete the 3-0 win.

That scoreline owed plenty to youth. Northern Ireland's starting line-up had an average age of 22. That makes it the youngest on record for the country since World War Two.

Morrison was at the heart of it. The 19-year-old was making his first start for Northern Ireland. He set up Price with a confident cross and looked at home on the right flank.

At the other end, Northern Ireland stood firm. This was a third straight game without conceding a goal, what football calls a clean sheet. Centre-backs Ruairi McConville and Tom Atcheson both impressed. O'Neill said of the pair: "They have no ceiling, to be honest."

O'Neill had said his squad were in "good shape" before travelling to Slovakia. His players backed him up. They defended in numbers, broke quickly and never let Ukraine settle.

The result was recognised beyond the group. UEFA included the 3-0 victory among its Matchday 3 highlights from across the Nations League, per UEFA.

What makes this stand out is the age of the team. Three points clear is useful. Doing it with a side averaging 22, away from home, gives supporters something bigger. A team growing up together, in public, and winning while they do it.