Michael O'Neill had spent the build-up to Northern Ireland's Nations League outing against Ukraine playing down memories of their famous win at Euro 2016.

His focus was firmly on what was to come rather than reflect on the past.

If a stunning 3-0 victory on Friday night was anything to go by, it's going to be a pretty exciting future indeed.

His starting team had an average age of just 22, which was the youngest on record for Northern Ireland since World War Two.

Oxford's Ciaron Brown, the only player over the age of 25 to start the game in Trnava, Slovakia, was in the right place to open the scoring in the ninth minute from Ruairi McConville's knockdown.

O'Neill handed a first start to 19-year-old Kieran Morrison, and his superb cross led to Isaac Price doubling the lead, before Brown's header evaded goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk in bizarre circumstances with 30 minutes left.

While the victory may not be quite as memorable as the 2-0 'Kings of Lyon' success 10 years ago at the Euros, it was extremely impressive.

To put it into context - and never mind the manner of the performance - only Sweden and France have beaten Ukraine in the past 12 months.