GEORGE Saville bagged an assist to help Northern Ireland beat Luxembourg 2-0 in their Nations League opener at Windsor Park on Thursday night. 

Saville set up Daniel Ballard with a low free-kick that the former Millwall loanee diverted home in the sixteenth minute.

Paddy McNair had given Michael O’Neill’s side the lead five minutes earlier as the hosts got their League C Group 3 campaign off to the ideal start.

“We had good control of the game and capitalised on set-pieces,” O’Neill said.

“We spent a good hour this morning in the analysis room and on the pitch with the players. You don’t always get that time.

“It’s something we need to improve on and we did demonstrate that tonight.”

Northern Ireland are away to Bulgaria on Sunday.

O’Neill added: ”It’s important. The other game was a draw so if we go to Bulgaria and get a result then we will be in a nice position.

“There’s a lot to play for. It’s a competition that we have had difficult results in.