Learning curve for Carroll

Northern Ireland'S Roy Carroll intends to learn from his costly mistake against Iceland and become a better goalkeeper. Carroll held his hands up after he misjudged a free-kick to gift Iceland a last-minute winner in Reykjavik's Laugardalsvollur stadium on Wednesday night.

Northern Ireland'S Roy Carroll intends to learn from his costly mistake against Iceland and become a better goalkeeper. Carroll held his hands up after he misjudged a free-kick to gift Iceland a last-minute winner in Reykjavik's Laugardalsvollur stadium on Wednesday night.

In only his seventh cap for the Irish, Carroll, 23, came forward but missed the free-kick and Thordur Gudjonsson knocked the ball into the empty net to score the only goal of the World Cup qualifier.

"Everybody always notices mistakes in the last minute and that's football," Carroll said. "The important thing is that you have to learn from your mistakes. I'm young and I'm still learning. I thought I could get that cross, but I've learnt that I can't get every ball."

The Northern Ireland manager, Sammy McIlroy, refused to criticise Carroll for the last-minute gaffe in Reykjavik. He is delighted with how Carroll has responded to the mistake and is certain the experience will help the keeper in the long run.