In front of a record 4,200 crowd for a women’s match in Northern Ireland, Spain missed two chances in the opening four minutes as McMaster cleared a point-blank Laura Perez chance off the line before the same player then blazed over with the goal gaping.
As Northern Ireland full cap McMaster continued to make a number of brilliant interventions, the dominant Spaniards were frustrated until Perez’s run set up Garcia to poke into an empty net in the 30th minute.
Northern Ireland’s defensive discipline continued in the second half and it took skipper Guijarro’s brilliant 52nd-minute dipping shot to beat Northern Ireland keeper Lauren Perry again.
The Spaniards continued to miss chances and Magee almost pulled a goal back 16 minutes from time after Bell sprinted from the edge of her own penalty area to the Spanish half.
Northern Ireland manager Alfie Wylie said he was proud of his players’ efforts in frustrating the talented Spaniards for long periods.
“Despite being 1-0 down at half-time, they refused to feel sorry themselves in the second half and kept battling,” said Wylie, who is also the Northern Ireland women’s senior manager.
“They gave it absolutely everything tonight and I’m so proud of them.”