Dan Ballard ruled out of Northern Ireland World Cup qualification play-off, Tom Atcheson called up | OneFootball

Sunderland defender Dan Ballard has been ruled out of Northern Ireland’s World Cup qualification play-off semi-final against Italy this week.

According to Sunderland Echo, he has been replaced by 19-year-old Blackburn Rovers defender Tom Atcheson in Michael O’Neill’s 28-man squad.

Ballard had been forced off in the second half of that contest, then missed Sunday’s Tyne-Wear Derby win over Newcastle United. He was initially included in Northern Ireland’s travelling cohort for Bergamo while his fitness was assessed.

Atcheson plays his club football at Blackburn Rovers, where O’Neill is interim head coach. The teenager is uncapped at senior level but has featured regularly for Northern Ireland’s youth sides.

Northern Ireland are already without Liverpool full-back Conor Bradley and Preston North End defender Jamal Lewis, who has undergone ankle surgery. The winner on Thursday will face either Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina for a place at this summer’s World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

After naming his squad, O’Neill said there were injury concerns and that his medical staff would liaise with clubs for clarity. He added they did not yet know the exact extent of Ballard’s issue, noting he came off in the 64th minute, and called such setbacks part of international football. He hoped players who missed club games would recover in time, saying there were 10 days until the match at that point.

Source: Sunderland Echo