Lewis red leaves Irish in rage

Switzerland 2 Northern Ireland 0

TWENTY-THREE seconds that could prove fatal for Northern Ireland’s World Cup hopes. One decision that left Jamal Lewis and everyone in white baffled before they were eventually beaten.

If Ian Baraclough’s side hoped to haul in Group C’s top two, avoiding defeat in Geneva was surely vital.

For 37 minutes, Northern Ireland made a fist of it. And then Lewis dithered over a throw-in, referee Slavko Vincic showed him a second yellow card and the visitors’ chances evaporated.

Northern Ireland held on until stoppage time in each half, when they were breached first by Switzerland’s Steven Zuber and then by Christian Fassnacht.

Northern Irish prospects are looking bleak — six points adrift of second with three qualifiers to play. The red card issued to Lewis, however, bordered on the ridiculous. The left-back could have no complaints when he tugged back Breel Embolo midway through the first half, but the second booking provoked fury.

Baraclough raged: ‘I’m annoyed and appalled by the decision to give someone a yellow without even warning the player.

‘Whether he thinks it is time-wasting or not, you normally go up to a player and tell him to hurry up or you’ll do something about it. It’s changed the entire complexion of the game.’