Brunt and McCann vie for left-back NI spot

Chris Brunt and Grant McCann are both vying for the left-back spot in Northern Ireland's starting eleven for Wednesday night's World Cup qualifier against Austria in Vienna.

Both players have a chance to play after regular full back Tony Capaldi was ruled out of Wednesday night's game after picking up a yellow card against Wales on Saturday.

Although neither Austria nor Northern Ireland can qualify for next year's tournament in Germany tonight's game will determine who finishes third in Group Six thus helping towards better seeding for next year's Euro 2008 qualifying draw.

Despite being beaten 3-2 by Wales at Windsor Park at the weekend, manager Lawrie Sanchez said he was confident his side could come away with an important victory.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, he said: "I've asked the team for one final effort and I know I will get it from them. It has been an eventful campaign with compelling games. There is a belief here that we can win this game and we'll be going all out to do just that."

Meanwhile, the IFA have called on FIFA to look at Saturday's England versus Austria game to see whether Austrian pair Andreas Ivanschitz and Markus Kiesenebner will be able to play on Wednesday night after appearing to pick up yellow cards thus ruling them out of tonight's game.

After initially being omitted from the squad for Wednesday's game, the pair have now returned to the team headquarters after Saturday's referee failed to mention the alleged cautions in his post match report. If both players play and it is then found that they did indeed receive cautions Northern Ireland would be awarded a 3-0 victory and all three points irrespective of this evening's result.

Tonight's game kicks-off at 7.30pm with over 1,500 Northern Ireland fans expected to travel to Vienna for the game.

Northern Ireland probable: Taylor, Baird, Craigan, Murdock, Duff, Gillespie, Johnson, Davis, Elliott, Healy, Quinn.

(MB/SP)