Northern Ireland 1-2 USA: Christian Pulisic helps USA past Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland’s search for a first win during 90 minutes under Ian Baraclough stretched to 10 matches as the USA won a low-key friendly 2-1.

NI substitute Niall McGinn pulled a goal back with a superb strike late on.

After losing to Italy on Thursday, Baraclough’s men face Bulgaria in their second World Cup qualifier on Wednesday.

The starting team that welcomes the Bulgarians to Belfast will no doubt be very different to the one that started Sunday’s friendly after Baraclough made 10 changes to side that lost 2-0 in Parma.

Stand-in captain Kyle Lafferty missed a great early chance to open the scoring for the hosts and Shayne Lavery looked lively up front in his first senior international start, while his replacement Dion Charles twice went close during a confident 30-minute debut.

The opening goal arrived on the half hour and was a result of the home defence standing off Tim Ream, allowing him far too much time and space to slide a ball inside to Borussia Dortmund’s Reyna.

The teenager struck a low shot that looked like being comfortably saved by Conor Hazard, but it took a wicked deflection off the lunging Ciaron Brown and looped over the stranded Celtic keeper.

Gregg Berhalter’s side doubled their lead in the 59th minute when Daniel Ballard was adjudged to have fouled Pulisic in the box and the Chelsea midfielder got up to roll in his penalty.

McGinn, one of a host of players to come off the bench in the second half, pulled one back in the 88th minute when he hammered in an outstanding, ferocious shot from a difficult angle after a Lafferty lay-off.

Energetic Lavery brings all-action style to international stage

There may have been a few eyebrows raised when his name appeared on the teamsheet ahead of Charles, but Lavery’s ever-willing running up front was the only real positive element for NI in a low-key first half.

The in-form Linfield striker was making his first international start and, playing in a front two with captain for the night Kyle Lafferty, he showed the USA defenders what the Irish League already knows – that he will run, run and run some more.

One of those runs led to a shot on goal when, in the 38th minute, the former Everton man was played in nicely by Lafferty and his crisp, angled shot tested Manchester City goalkeeper Zack Steffen who got down well to save to his right.

In contrast, Lavery’s strike partner Lafferty did not have the half he would have hoped for with the armband on, missing a great opportunity early on to end his international goal drought that is now at 23 games and counting.

George Saville won possession and slid a clever ball that played Lafferty through on goal but he chose to take the shot on early and dragged his effort wide of the post.

Operating in a back three with Conor McLaughlin and Ciaron Brown, Dan Ballard did nothing to diminish his growing reputation as an international player, while Saville imposed himself more in midfield than he has done in recent outings for Northern Ireland.

More to follow