Northern Ireland Soars with 5-0 Victory Over Bulgaria

Northern Ireland soared to the top of Nations League Group C3 with a remarkable 5-0 victory over Bulgaria at Windsor Park, highlighted by an impressive hat-trick from Isaac Price. The Standard Liege midfielder, who had scored just two international goals prior to this match, netted twice in the first half and completed his treble with a stunning long-range shot nine minutes from the end.

Price’s feat marked him as the first Northern Ireland player to achieve three goals in a single game since David Healy in 2007. The scoring began in the 15th minute when Price finished off a brilliant pass from Bolton Wanderers’ Dion Charles, who made a strong case for his inclusion in the starting lineup. Price doubled his tally shortly after, converting a loose ball following a failed penalty appeal when Charles was brought down in the box.

Bulgaria struggled throughout the match with captain Kiril Despodov missing a penalty kick while trailing 3-0. Northern Ireland took advantage of their dominance and after a deflected shot from Brodie Spencer resulted in an own goal by Bulgarian goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov, Josh Magennis capped off the scoring with a powerful strike. Despite previous struggles in front of goal, Northern Ireland came into this game as the top scorers in the group.

They proved their offensive prowess, controlling the match with high pressing and creating numerous chances. Price’s final goal, a beautifully struck shot from 20 yards drew applause from the home crowd and Magennis’s late effort further solidified their dominance. With this victory, Northern Ireland positioned themselves strongly in the group looking forward to upcoming matches against Belarus and Luxembourg.