Healy honoured to beat Suker record

David Healy has spoken of his admiration for Davor Suker after breaking the Croatia legend’s 12-year-old scoring record in a European Championship qualifying campaign.

The Northern Ireland striker set a new mark of 13 goals after a glorious winner in the 2-1 victory against Denmark at Windsor Park.

It means Northern Ireland are still in with an outside chance of making Austria and Switzerland going into the last round of matches.

However they will have to beat Spain – who have already booked their place - here on Wednesday and hope Latvia take all three points from Sweden.

Healy will again be in the spotlight and he finds it hard to take in he has overtaken former Arsenal striker Suker.

“To get the record with a goal that won the game and kept us in with a shout of reaching the finals was the sort of thing you would hardly dare dream of, ” said the 28-year-old.

“I remember watching Davor Suker a few years back and thinking what a great player he was.

“The feeling now is a bit like when I scored my ninth goal for Northern Ireland and drew level with George Best’s tally.

“I couldn’t help thinking: ’What am I doing, being mentioned in the same breath as him?’ It’s a bit like that with Suker. I can remember him scoring lots of goals in the World Cup as well as European Championship.

“It really is a great honour to beat his record. I have to pinch myself at times.”

Northern Ireland had to work hard for their fifth successive home win in the campaign after Nicklas Bendtner put Denmark ahead in the 50th minute.

In atrocious conditions Warren Feeney got his reward for a lung-busting display by equalising with a glancing header 11 minutes later.

That set up a glorious finale with Healy taking centre stage 11 minutes from time with a superb chip over the stranded Thomas Sorensen and into the corner.

Manager Nigel Worthington is looking for a repeat performance in Gran Canaria.

He said: “We have set ourselves up for a grand finale against Spain. I know from my experience as a player and a manager anything with Northern Ireland is possible.”

Striker Kyle Lafferty is available after suspension but Keith Gillespie sits out the match after a yellow card against Denmark.