But perhaps it was the 1-0 win over England almost a year ago to the day that bore greater comparison and just as on that barmy evening at Windsor Park, David Healy was once again the hero.

Healy must have thought his star could not have risen any higher after that winning goal against England, but by becoming the first Northern Ireland player to score a hat-trick since Colin Clarke against the Faeroe Isles 15 years ago to keep his country’s hopes of qualification alive, the Leeds United striker will be talked of in the same breath as George Best in these parts.

All the pity, then, that Sanchez refused to show for the obligatory press conference, a reaction to the criticism he received from the Northern Irish media after the dismal 3-0 defeat by Iceland on Saturday.

At least Healy, who had led the post-match lap of honour, was happy to talk. “Lawrie wanted us to put a bit of pride back into the Northern Ireland jersey after Saturday and how we did that,” he said.

That Spain, 65 places above Northern Ireland in the Fifa rankings, were poor should take nothing away from the home team, who, as Sanchez had willed them to do, snapped at Iberian heels all night. It was a masterclass of workhorses outwitting racehorses, although such was the quality of the two deciding goals, Spain would have been happy to call them their own.

Trailing 2-1, Keith Gillespie was fouled down the right channel and from the resulting free kick, Sammy Clingan squared the ball for Healy to shoot past Iker Casillas in the 64th minute. That would have been more than enough to satisfy the locals, but there was better to come 16 minutes later, when Healy latched on to Maik Taylor’s long kick to lob Casillas from 30 yards. Cue delirium. No wonder Healy was given a standing ovation when he was substituted five minutes from time.

Sanchez had made four changes to the team who imploded against Iceland and how they worked, even if the manager must have feared the worst when Taylor replaced the injured Roy Carroll in goal after only 12 minutes and 90 seconds later was picking the ball out of his net. Antonio López picked out Xavi, who chalked up Spain’s 1,000th international goal with a sublime volley. Northern Ireland drew level when Xabi Alonso sold Casillas short with a header and Healy stole in before Spain restored their lead shortly after the break when David Villa struck. The sting in the tail was still to come, though.

NORTHERN IRELAND (4-1-3-2): R Carroll (West Ham United; sub: M Taylor, Birmingham City, 12min) — M Duff (Burnley), S Craigan (Motherwell), A Hughes (Aston Villa), J Evans (Manchester United) — C Baird (Southampton) — K Gillespie (Sheffield United), S Clingan (Nottingham Forest), S Davis (Aston Villa) — K Lafferty (Burnley; sub: J Quinn , Northampton Town, 54), D Healy (Leeds United; sub W Feaney, Luton Town,, 85). Substitutes: G McAuley (Leicester City),, S Elliott (Hull City), G McCann (Cheltenham Town), S Jones (Burnley).

Booked: Duff, Feaney.

SPAIN (4-3-1-2): I Casillas (Real Madrid) — S Ramos (Real Madrid; sub: M Salgado, Real Madrid, 46), C Puyol (Barcelona), Pablo Ibañez (Atlético Madrid), A López (Atlético Madrid) — Xavi (Barcelona), D Albelda (Valencia; sub: F Fàbregas, Arsenal, 29), X Alonso (Liverpool) — Raúl (Real Madrid) — F Torres (Atlético Madrid), D Villa (Valencia). Substitutes not used: J M Reina (Liverpool), C Marchena (Valencia), J A Reyes (Real Madrid), L Garcia (Liverpool), A Iniesta (Barcelona). Booked: López.

Referee: F de Bleeckere (Belgium).

GOLDEN TOUCH