Both sets of players converge rapidly as tempers flare, but nothing major comes of it and Lafferty is booked in the aftermath.
89'
Cathcart takes a quick throw to Peacock-Farrell but is thoroughly unimpressed with the referee's decision to penalise him for a foul throw. Bulgaria finally have a breather and an opportunity to get up the field.
86'
A. Iliev gets yellow.
Bulgaria substitute Atanas Iliev goes into the book now for a foul on Cathcart, before diverting the resulting free-kick behind for a corner.
82'
K. Lafferty enters the game and replaces J. Magennis.
The hard-working Magennis heads off the field now and is replaced by Lafferty up front for the final few minutes.
80'
Lewis is the next to try his luck from range, but he, too, sees his effort blocked en route to goal. The hosts are starting to get a little desperate.
77'
Substitute Kennedy tries his luck from outside the box, but his effort is charged down and blocked away.
74'
M. Smith enters the game and replaces D. Ballard.
M. Kennedy enters the game and replaces G. Saville.
Saville is also replaced, with winger Kennedy coming on as an extra attacking option.
Baraclough makes a double-change as he looks for a winning goal. The first change sees young defender Ballard replaced by the experienced Smith.
73'
A. Iliev enters the game and replaces A. Galabinov.
P. Zanev enters the game and replaces M. Tsvetanov.
Petrov makes a triple-change now as he looks for improvement from his side in the closing stages of the game. Yomov is the first to come off, with Karagaren replacing him.
Striker Galabinov is the third alteration, and Atanas Iliev comes on in his stead.
Tsvetanov - the other wing-back - also makes way, with Zanev taking his place.
Minute
Description
72'
B. Karagaren enters the game and replaces G. Yomov.
70'
G. Saville gets yellow.
Saville slides in on Hristov and gets there late, missing the ball and taking the man out, earning himself a yellow card.
68'
Northern Ireland continue to dominate the ball and are now working it around patiently once more as they search for an opening. They've been effective in the middle but have just lacked a cutting edge in the final third.
66'
Lewis wriggles away down the left and lofts a dangerous ball into the middle, but the attack is brought to an abrupt halt as Magennis is penalised for a foul on Bulgaria goalkeeper Naumov.
64'
N. McGinn enters the game and replaces G. Whyte.
Baraclough makes a change of his own now, replacing Whyte with McGinn as he looks to freshen things up in the forward areas.
61'
Despite Petrov's positive half-time change, Bulgaria are seeing even less of the ball since the restart and are really struggling to impose themselves on proceedings.
59'
There's a brief stoppage as Saville collides with Naumov while chasing a long ball over the top. The goalkeeper stays down for a few moments but eventually gets to his feet and is able to continue.
56'
Saville jinks forward down the left and wins a free-kick in a very promising position just outside the left corner of the box. Davis stands over it, ready to deliver.
54'
Northern Ireland win two more corners for a total of four in the space of three minutes, but can't quite force it home. The hosts are keeping the pressure on.
52'
A corner is worked short and then back to McNair, the taker, who fires a low cross into the near post that Antov intercepts, diverting just past the post and behind for another corner.
50'
The second half has picked up where the first left off, with the hosts still very much in control of proceedings.
46'
D. Iliev enters the game and replaces A. Vutov.
We're back underway for the second half!
Petrov makes a half-time change, replacing central midfielder Vutov with an extra forward in Dimitar Iliev.
45' +3
HALF-TIME: NORTHERN IRELAND 0-0 BULGARIA
45' +2
V. Antov gets yellow.
The hosts want Antov sent off as he catches Whyte in the face with a stray arm, but there doesn't appear to be any malicious intent and a yellow seems an appropriate punishment.
44'
P. Vitanov enters the game and replaces G. Kostadinov.
That change is now made, with Kostadinov replaced by Vitanov in the centre of midfield.
43'
Kostadinov has gone down off the ball now and he will certainly have to be replaced. The look on the captain's face confirms that his night is over.
40'
It appears as though Bulgaria boss Petrov is readying a substitution on the sidelines. Skipper Kostadinov looks like he's struggling and he may not last until the break.
38'
The hosts are patiently working the ball around, keeping Bulgaria camped in their own third as they look to maintain a compact, organised shape.
33'
P. McNair gets yellow.
McNair if the first Northern Irish player to go into the referee's book now following a poor challenge on Chochev.
31'
Davis swings a cross in and Magennis, once again, gets on the end of it at the near post, but he can only nod wide and the flag then goes up for offside anyway.
29'
The hosts are dominating the game and have done a good job of keeping Bulgaria pinned back. They haven't looked clinical in front of goal, however.
24'
P. Hristov gets yellow.
Petko Hristov is the first player to go into the referee's book tonight as he's penalised for a foul on McNair.
19'
Magennis latches onto a long ball over the top down the left side of the box and Naumov rushes off his line in desperation, but the flag goes up for offside! That was a very tight call.
15'
The game gets back underway now and the two players involved are, thankfully, okay and able to continue.
13'
There's a pause in proceedings as Vutov and McNair clash heads and go down. The pair are being given medical attention.
9'
Ireland have settled on the ball now and are working it around in search of an opening. Bulgaria found their rhythm first but are now having to absorb some pressure.
3'
McNair is felled on the right wing and dusts himself off to swing the resulting free-kick into the box. The delivery is dangerous but Cathcart gives away a foul as he battles for the loose ball and the chance is wasted.
1'
We're underway at Windsor Park!
Hello and welcome to our LIVE coverage of the World Cup Qualifying clash between Northern Ireland and Bulgaria at Windsor Park in Belfast.
Both sides come into this one on zero points, with Italy having beaten both by a 2-0 scoreline, while Bulgaria also suffered a 3-1 defeat against Switzerland. This fixture represents a great opportunity for both camps to kick-start their World Cup Qualifying campaign.
Northern Ireland XI (3-5-2): Bailey Peacock-Farrell; Danny Ballard, Jonny Evans, Craig Cathcart; Stuart Dallas, Paddy McNair, Steven Davis, George Saville, Jamal Lewis; Josh Magennis, Gavin Whyte.
Northern Ireland substitutes: Matthew Kennedy, Conor Hazard, Shane Ferguson, Liam Hughes, Dion Charles, Niall McGinn, Kyle Lafferty, Conor McLaughlin, Michael Smith, Alistair McCann, Corry Evans, Jordan Thompson.
Bulgaria XI (3-5-2): Daniel Naumov; Andrea Hristov, Valentin Ivaylov Antov, Ivaylo Chochev; Petko Hristov, Kiril Despodov, Georgi Kostadinov, Antonio Vutov, Momchil Tsvetanov; Georgi Yomov, Andrej Galabinov.
Bulgaria substitutes: Petar Vitanov, Vasil Bozhikov, Plamen Iliev, Kristiyan Malinov, Ivan Karadzhov, Birsent Karagaren, Daniel Dimov, Petar Zanev, Spas Delev, Ilian Ilianov Iliev, Dimitar Iliev, Atanas Iliev.
Bulgaria, who lost captain Kostadinov to injury shortly before half-time, will surely have to be more positive in the second half. They've absorbed a great deal of pressure and are very fortunate not to be behind. Petrov will certainly be demanding more from his players in the second half.
Northern Ireland's next qualifier is away to Lithuania, while Bulgaria visit Italy.
Thank you for joining our coverage, we hope you enjoyed the game. Until next time, goodbye.
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