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Steven Crawford

Conor McMenamin says Northern Ireland have to learn from mistakes

Conor McMenamin says Northern Ireland need to learn from their mistakes if they are to have any chance of qualifying for Euro 2024.

Michael O'Neill's men went down to a 1-0 defeat for the third Group H game in a row after Abat Aimbetov's late goal gave Kazakhstan a vital win at Windsor Park.

It was a poor goal from Northern Ireland's point of view as the substitute ran from his own half evading challenges from Craig Cathcart and Paddy McNair before slotting past Bailey Peacock-Farrell.

Read more: N Ireland 0 Kazakhstan 1: Monday's Euro qualifier as it happened at Windsor Park

Glentoran forward McMenamin says they have to cut the sloppiness out come the next round of games in September.

"It's disappointing, it's such a sloppy goal from us," he said.

"I thought I got fouled in the corner so it could have gone either way but we shouldn't be conceding.

"From one end of the pitch to the other we have multiple opportunities to clear and deal with the ball and we've been punished.

"That's what the manager, we've now lost three games 1-0 and at this level it's fine margins and we're a mix of experienced and inexperienced players.

"As a group we need to learn because we're conceding sloppy goals.

"We have two more games in September, two away games, and we have to get some points from them.

"You can see there's not much in this group, we just need to tidy up, play on the front foot and create more chances."

McMenamin was a bright spark when he came on in the second half and only a world class save from Igor Shatskiy denied him a first international goal.

"As soon as I hit it I thought it was in and he's made a great save," he said.

"I'd just come on and was trying to make an impact and make something happen."

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