Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill says there are “lots of positives” from Friday’s 1-1 draw with Switzerland.
Isaac Price struck a superb early opener before Vincent Sierro headed home an equaliser midway through the first half.
Both sides had chances to hit a winner but a draw was a fair result as both sides introduced youth off the bench in the friendly.
“We would have been extremely disappointed to lose it and we are a little bit disappointed we didn’t nick a winner,” O’Neill told BBC Sport.
Northern Ireland elected to play friendlies with Switzerland and Sweden, who are both pot one teams, as they look to build towards the start of World Cup qualifying in September.
O’Neill’s youthful side have taken large strides over the past 12 months, and facing a Switzerland side who were only knocked out of the Euros last summer in the quarter-finals on penalties by England was seen as a big test.
It was a bright start from Northern Ireland as Price curled home from the edge of the area, but Switzerland equalised when Sierro was left unmarked to head home from a corner.
Price, Lee Bonis and debutant Jamie Donley had chances to win the game, but O’Neill was pleased with the effort from his players against one of Europe’s most consistent sides.
“I think we contained Switzerland well,” he added. “We were a little bit, for me, passive at times but we spoke about that throughout the game.
“You always want your team to be a little bit better with the ball and I think there is always room to improve on that.
“But, overall, if you look at the experience in the team, I think the team that finished there were eight players 21 and under, it’s a very, very young and we are asking a high amount off a young group of players and I thought they competed extremely well in the game.”
