Finland 1 Northern Ireland 1
Northern Ireland were denied a seventh win of their triumphant Euro 2016 campaign but a point in Finland was still enough to see them break new ground by winning Group F.
In doing so they became the first fifth seeds in European qualifying history to finish top of the pile.
Craig Cathcart looked to have delivered even more when he headed home a maiden international goal in the first half but, after a lethargic display, Finland nicked a 1-1 draw three minutes from time through Paulus Arajuuri.
O’Neill promised on the eve of the match that his side would be fully focused on recording their seventh win of the campaign, and taking their points tally to an impressive 23.
But with Finland playing for nothing but pride and the vast Olmypic Stadium sparsely populated, the opening 10 minutes felt flat.
It took an errant defensive pass from Paulus Arajuuri to jolt Northern Ireland into action, Stuart Dallas picking up the loose ball and drilling a low shot too close to the goalkeeper.
The subsequent corner was only cleared as far as Chris Brunt on the edge of the area and his sweetly-struck drive might have crept under the crossbar had it not struck his team-mate Gareth McAuley flush on the back.
There was an injury scare in the 13th minute when Manchester United Paddy McNair crumpled after a challenge from Jere Uronen but, after lengthy treatment, he was fit to continue.
Finland were struggling to string together anything of note but the visitors were too sluggish to take advantage.
The first scare at the Northern Ireland end came when Brunt mis-kicked a clearance high into his own area and McNair failed to connect with his intended header.
That left Tim Sparv to take a shot at goal but he screwed his effort wide.
Lafferty failed to connect with a Brunt pass across the six-yard line but Northern Ireland found a way through just after the half-hour.
An innocuous corner was recycled on the right by McNair, who slipped McGinn down the channel.
The Aberdeen winger crossed to the near post and Cathcart, still forward from the set-piece, was in place to flash a header across Lukas Hradecky.
The closest Finland came to a first-half equaliser saw Joel Pohjanpalo steal inside Brunt at left-back only to be denied by Michael McGovern at the near post.
Finland were much improved immediately after the break, Pohjanpalo finally asking some questions of the Northern Irish defence.
He might have been rewarded with a goal after 50 minutes, Robin Lod and Uronen combining to tee him up as he raced into the area. Pohjanpalo connected well at speed but the shot kept rising and disappeared on to the running track.
McNair was withdrawn soon after, Fleetwood’s Conor McLaughlin arriving for his ninth appearance of the campaign.
The initial burst of energy from the Finns did not last.
Cathcart’s goal meant the onus was on them to find a foothold in the game and they simply did not have the wherewithal, leaving O’Neill’s side increasingly comfortable.
O’Neill went back to his bench twice more, handing Shane Ferguson and Josh Magennis the chance to make an impression.
Magennis made a a nuisance of himself up front but it was Finland who managed to raise their game at the last.
Substitute Kasper Hamalainen evaded his marker to cushioned a header towards Arajuuri, who stabbed past McGovern in the 87th minute.
But that late setback barely registered with the 2,200 buoyant Northern Irish fans, who responded by toasting their imminent trip to France.