GAVIN WHYTE SCORED with his first touch in international football as Northern Ireland rebounded from a disappointing Nations League debut to notch a 3-0 friendly win over Israel.

Oxford United winger Whyte bundled home less than two minutes after stepping on for his debut to wrap up a confident response to Saturday’s defeat against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Northern Ireland failed to turn their dominance into a result on that occasion but there was little threat of a repeat at Windsor Park after Steven Davis struck inside 13 minutes.

Stuart Dallas added a second before the interval and later set up Whyte for his memorable moment as Michael O’Neill’s men brought an end to a three-game winless run.

Ruthlessly made to regret their wastefulness on the weekend, Northern Ireland appeared to have heeded the lesson during a professional and polished first 45 minutes.
Davis made the breakthrough with a clean first-time finish that fizzed off Munas Dabbur’s head and through Guy Haimov’s hands.

The second was a long time coming and Dallas supplied it four minutes from the break, volleying in George Saville’s curling cross to the far post.

Paddy McNair had half-hearted appeals for a penalty waved away soon after the restart and Middlesbrough midfielder Saville sliced wide with a chance to extend the margin.

In the end, it was fittingly left to debutant Whyte to put the polish on a positive night for Northern Ireland, the 22-year-old delighting the home crowd by bundling home the loose ball from Dallas’ low left-sided cross.

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