Nigel Worthington's team will almost certainly not be in the finals next year

Northern Ireland's faint hopes of making the World Cup finals all-but ended on Saturday after Slovenia defeated group leaders Slovakia 2-0.

Nigel Worthington's team need a big win against the Czech Republic on Wednesday to have any chance of coming second.

And for their slim hopes of reaching the play-offs to be realised, they also need minnows San Marino to beat second-placed Slovenia.

The Irish need at least a seven-goal swing in their goal difference.

And they would be unwise to invest too much hope in San Marino, with the perennial strugglers, who have a goal difference of -43 from nine games, yet to score a point in this year's qualification campaign.

Northern Ireland needed Slovenia to fail to beat Slovakia and San Marino to have a realistic chance of staying in the race for second and a play-off spot.

But Valter Birasa and Nejc Pecnik scored the goals to give Slovenia their away victory over Slovakia.

The Czech Republic moved a point ahead of Northern Ireland after a 2-0 home win over Poland.

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