Northern Ireland get back to winning ways

Northern Ireland ended their losing streak of five defeats in a row by securing a 3-0 win over San Marino, although they had the potential for an even more impressive scoreline.

The match began with two quick goals that appeared to set Northern Ireland on a path to a high-scoring win. 

The first goal came just five minutes into the match when Paul Smyth, who had previously sent a shot over the crossbar, executed an acrobatic scissor kick to convert Jamal Lewis's cross, eluding the San Marino goalkeeper.

Six minutes later, Smyth turned into an assist provider, neatly passing the ball to Josh Magennis, who calmly slotted it into the net.

Despite holding possession and maintaining control in the midfield, Northern Ireland failed to produce any more dangerous shots on target following Magennis's goal, resulting in a noticeable drop in the match's tempo.

A spectacular volley from Smyth that beautifully looped over Benedettini appeared to be a third goal, but it was denied by the video referee, leaving Northern Ireland without their third score.

The second half was uninspiring, but it gained some life in the closing minutes due to several substitutions. 

Substitute Conor McMenamin scored the third, converting a rebound from an angle after Conor Washington's initial shot forced a save.

San Marino, although trailing, continued to resist but eventually resorted to minimizing the damage.

The match concluded with Paddy McNair receiving a yellow card, which means he will be unavailable for the upcoming Tuesday match against Slovenia.