Nigel Worthington can have a leisurely Sunday after watching his side fall to defeat in Bratislava. He probably won’t, but he could.
He need spend little time reflecting on his side’s failure to turn possession and chances into goals or their inability to keep a clean sheet against a side who will probably succumb to defeat when Group Three favourites Poland and Czech Republic pay them a visit.
The simple fact of the matter is Northern Ireland cannot win away and are a pale shadow of the side that play at Windsor Park when they visit foreign shores. Defeat to Slovakia ensured they had picked up only one win away from home in their last 16 games.
Worthington, of course, will be forgiven for thinking that perhaps his side are maybe just unlucky on their travels – they certainly created enough chances against Slovakia and but for a terrible piece of refereeing would have found themselves level and pushing for a winner rather than chasing what ultimately proved to be a lost cause.
When Chris Baird saw his appeals waived away after his shot cannoned off a Slovak hand, Worthington's side were visibly shaken and were still remonstrating as Jan Kozak prepared the free-kick from which Slovakia grabbed their second.
The Northern Ireland boss can hardly be faulted for the way he has set up his side – he has molded his troops into a combative 4-3-3 – who are hard to break down in open play.
They could be accused of being overly reliant on the goals of David Healy, but if the Sunderland striker finds the net as frequently as he did in Euro 2008 qualifying, then it is no crime to place the goal-scoring burden on his shoulders.
Only a couple of half-chances fell Healy’s way on Saturday, but the opportunities still came and went - Warren Feeney, George McCartney, and Martin Paterson all should have found the net but failed.
But while there were also positives to take from the performance - notably Sammy Clingan, who looked at home at international level in a bustling first-half performance, even if he faded as an influence as the game wore on – Worthington will be more than a little concerned by his side’s failure to defend set-pieces.
In what was an otherwise exemplary defensive performance, two Slovakian free kicks ended with two Slovakian goals and three Slovakian points were wrapped up.
After coming so close to qualifying for Euro 2008, eventually being pipped at the last by Spain and Sweden, perhaps fan expectations have risen above a realistic level – but Poland and Czech Republic are not unbeatable and qualification is not out of reach. Remember – every side in this group still has to visit Windsor Park.