Northern Ireland coach Michael O'Neill says Manchester United midfielder Ethan Galbraith deserved his debut.
The 18-year-old was promoted from his country's Under-21s on Thursday and ended up coming off the bench for the closing stages of the 1-0 win over Luxembourg in a friendly at Windsor Park.
O'Neill said, "Ethan is an Under-19 player and will play in those finals for us next year. He is progressing for Manchester United for their Under-23s.
"We know what type of footballer he is. He is a lovely player, so easy on the eye.
"It was nice to give him the motivation and focus to kick on in his career."