O’Neill admired the efficiency of his younger aspect, who’ve made an excellent begin to qualifying.
A win in Luxembourg was adopted by an hour of matching European heavyweights Germany, who ultimately prevailed to win 3-1.
Friday’s win was very good from first minute to final. A Patrik Hrosovsky personal aim broke the impasse earlier than Hume’s very good effort with slightly below 10 minutes left made positive – however was it the perfect underneath O’Neill?
“I do not actually take a look at video games like that as a result of groups evolve,” O’Neill mentioned when requested if it was probably the most full efficiency since his return in 2023 for a second spell in cost.
The Germany fixture will probably be his a hundredth recreation as Northern Eire boss.
“The group after I got here again in could be very totally different to the group now,” O’Neill mentioned. “They’ve given different good performances, like at house right here to Bulgaria [a 5-0 win in October 2024] once we have been wonderful.
“I feel tonight was a group of a better calibre as properly, so you may say it is likely one of the greatest performances we have had, however I nonetheless suppose there may be extra within the tank, and I feel the gamers imagine that as properly.”
O’Neill was additionally filled with reward for Hume, who has moved up the leagues with Sunderland and is now a Premier League common.
The defender’s aim had come after the in-form David Strelec poked an effort huge for Slovakia. Up to now, when there felt like an inevitability that the opposition would hit again, Hume’s effort modified that narrative.
“We deserved to be multiple aim forward with how the sport had gone, however we wanted that second aim,” mentioned O’Neill.
“Slovakia are group and are very skilled at worldwide degree, and it solely takes a second.
“They did have that probability and so they missed it. As a younger group you may lose confidence and momentum in that state of affairs, however when the second aim went in – and it was a fantastic end – it was nice for him as he is such an necessary participant for us.”
