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Fears turned to cheers for Northern Ireland centurion Julie Nelson and her international team-mates as the Women's Euro 2022 play-off draw unfolded.

s usual with Uefa, nothing is straightforward. Ukraine were first out of the bowl and just to add to the tension they were followed by Russia, throwing up the one pairing that under an agreement with the European governing body couldn't go ahead.

That meant the next team out would face Ukraine instead and have the advantage of playing the second leg at home - and it was a one in four chance it would be Northern Ireland.

Former German international and now Uefa's Head of Women's Football Nadine Kessler took the next ball, opened the piece of paper and announced that the luck of the draw had gone in favour of Kenny Shiels' team.

Quietly within the squad, Ukraine is the team they would have picked for themselves in the two-legged battle for a place at next summer's finals in England.

"Everyone is buzzing and delighted," revealed Nelson, as the team's WhatsApp group filled with messages. "We were all watching the draw and it was getting nervous. Thankfully it's come out well for us.

"Ukraine were one of the ones we'd have been happier with out of the other five possibilities. We were all hoping to avoid Switzerland and thankfully we did that."

As the lowest ranked team in the pot, Northern Ireland were probably the team that everyone else wanted. Northern Ireland wanted Ukraine, not based on rankings or anything on paper, but based on what has happened on the pitch in recent times.

Twice in the last three years the teams have met in friendly tournaments and although Ukraine have won both meetings, there is a strong feeling in the Northern Ireland squad that this time, when the action gets serious, they can come out on top.

In the most recent game almost exactly a year ago, Ukraine were 4-0 winners at the Pinatar Cup in Spain. Taken in the context of Shiels handing starts to teenage quintet Casey Howe, Danielle Maxwell, Caitlin McGuinness, Emma McMaster and Toni-Leigh Finnegan, who was making her debut, and that three of the goals came inside six minutes, it was a night that the manager came away from feeling positive.

The players came away with the belief that it would have been a very different game had it been a full-strength Northern Ireland team on the pitch.

"We've played Ukraine a couple of times in recent years and we know what they are about and hopefully that gives us a better chance going into the play-offs," said Nelson.

"Those were in friendly tournaments so it'll be a different level when we go to play in the play-offs."

It will be next week before Uefa announce the exact fixture dates in the window of April 7-13. It is, however, set up for another special night at Seaview for the girls if they can achieve a positive result in Ukraine first.

"Based on my own experience in the Champions League with Glasgow City, we played the away tie first because we were the higher ranked team and I think that definitely helped," said Nelson.

"If you can go there and possibly nick a goal and keep things tight defensively, it can help coming into the home game."

Belfast Telegraph

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Why Northern Ireland are delighted with Euro play-off draw against Ukraine, explains Julie Nelson - Belfast Telegraph