Terry Devlin improves Portsmouth chances after what he did for Northern Ireland
Portsmouth defender Terry Devlin made his debut for Northern Ireland on Saturday.
The 21-year-old has played a role mainly as a substitute in the Championship for Pompey this season but still earned an international call-up.
Despite not having the complete trust of John Mousinho at club level, Michael O’Neill has shown faith in the right back to introduce him to the national set-up.
This saw the defender make his debut off the bench on 22 March and impressed for his country which could stand him in good stead at Fratton Park.
Devlin in positive Northern Ireland performance
The former Glentoran man has made just 10 starts in the second tier this campaign while making a further 16 substitute appearances.
In that time he has contributed one assist and helped earn multiple wins which has helped him to earn a spot in the Northern Ireland squad.
This saw him make his debut in an international friendly against Switzerland at Windsor Park in a 1-1 draw.
The 21-year-old was brought on with 15 minutes to go and was able to clock up 10 touches and two completed passes in that time [FotMob].
Both of those passes were into the final third as the defender looked to help his side secure a win against the 20th-ranked side in the world.
| Stats | Terry Devlin v Switzerland |
| Minutes played | 15 |
| Touches | 10 |
| Tackles won | 1 |
| Duels won | 5 |
Devlin showed his defensive capabilities for the Green and White Army as he completed 100 per cent of tackles and also contributed with one recovery.
This also saw him win five duels on the night with four of those representing a 100 aerial duel success on the flank for O’Neill’s side.
Devlin deserves Portsmouth chance
With just eight games remaining in the Championship season, there is a chance for the defender to have an impact on achieving survival.
Pompey will be desperate to avoid relegation as they currently sit just four points off Derby County in the second-tier standings.
That could give Devlin a perfect chance to step into the side and prove himself under Mousinho ahead of the new campaign.
Zak Swanson will represent stern competition in the right-back position but there is every chance that the Northern Ireland international can make the role his own.