Northern Ireland defender Conor Bradley says he is “buzzing” after he scored the winning goal against Euro 2024-bound Scotland at Hampden Park.
Bradley’s deflected strike in the 32nd minute was decisive as the Liverpool full-back continued his stunning rise.
Northern Ireland are now unbeaten in three matches, while struggling Scotland are winless in seven.
“I don’t think I could have dreamed of it going the way it did,” 20-year-old Bradley told BBC Sport NI.
The full-back’s opener came against the run of play against a Scotland side hurting after a 4-0 defeat by the Netherlands on Friday.
In a raucous Hampden Park, Scotland had the majority of the possession but struggled to break Michael O’Neill’s visitors down.
The travelling support were sent into raptures when Bradley’s curling effort took a touch off Jack Hendry and flew into the top corner for his first international goal.
Shea Charles should have added a second before the break, but Northern Ireland sat back and invited Scotland onto them, but the hosts failed to create the crucial chance and O’Neill’s side held on for a famous success.
“I was just hoping it went in, to be honest,” said Bradley on his goal.
“I don’t even know what happened after that. To get the 1-0 win is just fantastic and it’s a great night all-round.
“I think we still have lots of places to improve, but that was a great performance. I think at times we could have been a bit better on the ball.
“To defend the way we did for the 90 minutes and keep a clean sheet here at Hampden, obviously Scotland are going to the Euros and they are a great side full or Premier League players, it is just brilliant.”
‘It’s a brilliant finish’
Manager O’Neill said he was delighted for match winner Bradley, who has become a crucial cog in Northern Ireland’s upturn in form.
“It’s a brilliant goal by Conor,” O’Neill said.
“I thought in Bucharest he was terrific playing as a wing back and tonight we played him up a bit to see if we could get his energy in that area of the pitch.
“He gave us that and obviously the goal is an example of that. He then has that little bit of ability to create the space for the shot. It’s a brilliant finish.”
O’Neill added he felt that his players still had room for improvement despite their first win over Scotland at Hampden Park in 41 years.
“We’re delighted with the result. It was a really good performance, a strong performance.
“Defensively we were excellent. We had to give up a lot of the ball at times. We weathered that storm and then we showed on two or three occasions our threat on the counter attack.
“I felt there was certain things where we needed a little bit more, we maybe didn’t link the play as well and we turned the ball over, but in terms of attitude to the game – it was terrific and the energy and distance the team covered was fantastic.
“We probably didn’t carry out counter attack threat as well as we did in the first half but overall, to come here wit the team as it is in this minute and the team is maturing, it’s a brilliant result for the lads.”