Overview
- Debutant Tomas Bobcek scored in stoppage time from a Laszlo Benes corner only minutes after coming on.
- Two earlier Slovak strikes, from Lukas Haraslin and David Strelec, were ruled out for offside and handball.
- Ballard was dismissed for a second yellow in added time, and O'Neill contended the winning goal should have been disallowed for a foul on the defender.
- Northern Ireland nonetheless clinched a March World Cup play-off place through their Nations League ranking after Croatia defeated the Faroe Islands.
- Ballard and George Saville will miss Monday's match against Luxembourg through suspension, and Slovakia now travel to Germany with a chance to finish top of Group A.