Northern Ireland boss Michael O'Neill hails striker Kyle Lafferty

Michael O'Neill has hailed striker Kyle Lafferty after his two goals helped put Northern Ireland firmly on course for their first major championships since 1986.

The 27-year-old, who currently plies his trade for Turkish Super Lig club Caykur Rizespor on loan from Championship side Norwich City, starred in a 2-1 win over Finland at Windsor Park on Sunday.

Four wins from five games have given O'Neill's side an excellent chance of qualifying for the European Championship finals in France next summer.

They are only a point behind qualifying leaders Romania, who narrowly beat the Faroe Islands 1-0, and are next up in Belfast in June for a crunch clash.

Eventful

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O'Neill says he is delighted with journeyman Lafferty's performances for his country, with five goals in as many starts, despite his inconsistent club form.

"Kyle in the recent two years has moved a lot," O'Neill told Sky Sports. "Obviously, the situation at Rangers to go to Sion and then Sion to Palermo and now he's back at Norwich and out on loan at Rizespor, so he's had an eventful few years to say the least.

"I think that maybe did affect him a little bit in terms of his performances for Northern Ireland.

"In the last campaign he only played four games for us and he played well in those four games. He didn't score in those four games but I thought his performances were good and then due to injury and suspension.

He's playing well in a Northern Ireland shirt and you see that in his whole demeanour, not just on the pitch but around the squad. He seems very happy. He's content with his football and playing with a smile on his face.

"We obviously didn't have him for the other six games in the campaign which was a blow to us, but I think he's fully focused. He got off to a great start in the campaign in Hungary, setting up the equaliser and then scoring the winner, and he's not looked back.

"He's playing well in a Northern Ireland shirt and you see that in his whole demeanour, not just on the pitch but around the squad. He seems very happy. He's content with his football and playing with a smile on his face.

"When Kyle is in that frame of mind, he's a handful for any defender."