Italian job for Conor

Italian job for Conor

24 March 2021

DOWNPATRICK goalkeeper Conor Hazard has been included in the Northern Ireland squad for their opening World Cup qualifying game against Italy tomorrow night.

The 23 year-old Celtic custodian is one of four keepers in the squad and is almost likely to lose out to Bailey Peacock-Farrell for a starting berth against the vaunted Italians, who are on home soil in Parma.

Hazard is also in the squad for the next qualifier against Bulgaria in Belfast next Wednesday night and may see some action in a friendly against the United States on Sunday.

Northern Ireland manager Ian Baraclough had admired Hazard for a long time and  knows what Hazard is capable of.

Baraclough was formerly manager of the Northern Ireland U- 21 side and made Hazard team captain.

It’s been quite a time for Hazard, whose career had gone from strength to strength in the last few months.

Hazard made his first team debut for Celtic against Lille in December as the Hoops won 3-2 in the Europa League. He kept a clean sheet against Kilmarnock a few days later and a string of good performances resulted in him being picked for the Scottish Cup final against Hearts. 

It was a fairytale match for the Downpatrick man as he saved two spot kicks in a penalty shoot-out to seal a historic fourth consecutive treble for Neil Lennon’s side.

His exploits were rewarded when he signed a new two-year contract with the Parkhead club a few weeks ago. 

Hazard has made seven appearances for Celtic this season, his last coming in a 0-0 draw with Livingston in January. 

He said: Just playing seven games altogether this season has given me a great boost in my confidence. I go into training every day knowing there is an opportunity to get in the team and go and perform and get a few wins.”

Hazard made his international debut for Northern Ireland against Costa Rica in a friendly fixture in 2018 during a tour of Central America. His manager at the time was Michael O’Neill, who now manages Stoke City in the English Championship.

Northern Ireland couldn’t have had a harder opening fixture in their World Cup campaign. The Italians are renewed for being tough opponents and will be expecting to see off the green and white army. 

Killyleagh’s Trevor Carson misses out on a place in the Northern Ireland squad due to a knee injury that he sustained last December after landing awkwardly whilst playing against Kilmarnock. 

It’s the latest in a series of injuries which have beset the Motherwell keeper in the past few years, starting with deep vein thrombosis in 2018, followed by a meniscus tear earlier this season. 

Carson’s latest injury has ruled him out for the rest of this year’s campaign.