Northern Ireland – Slovenia : Preview & Prediction
Northern Ireland coach Michael O’Neill admits he already has “one eye” on Euro 2028 after it was confirmed that his team did not qualify for next year’s edition. The Green and Whites have endured a dismal qualifying campaign, losing five of their seven matches, with their only two wins coming against the worst team in the group, San Marino, who are at the bottom of the FIFA world rankings (#207).
One of those wins came at the weekend, and the coach is now calling on his team to “carry that (winning) feeling” into their clash against Slovenia, where Northern Ireland will try for what would be just their fourth win in 19 home games since September 2019 (E6, P9). But considering Northern Ireland are unbeaten in all three of their home meetings so far without conceding a goal (G2, E1), they definitely have something to fight for here.
It will be tough against an opponent that already beat them 4-2 during this qualifying campaign. Coach Matjaž Kek hopes the result can inspire his team to write some history of their own as three straight wins, the most recent of which came at home to Finland (3-0), took his side to the top of Group H and within touching distance of reaching a Euro appearance for the first time since 2000.
In fact, Slovenia’s campaign has been so good that, with three games to go, they are already just one point shy of their previous best of 17 points in a European Championship qualifying cycle. Should they surpass that total and claim another win in this match, it will be enough to qualify early for Germany 2024 if the Finland-Kazakhstan clash ends in a draw.
Players to watch: Josh Magennis has helped Northern Ireland win seven of the ten international matches in which he has scored (P3). Looking to frustrate him will be Slovenian goalkeeper Jan Oblak, who has kept four clean sheets in his last seven European Championship qualifiers, losing just once (G6).
Standout Fact: Only one of Northern Ireland’s seven European Championship qualifiers saw both teams score, and coincidentally that was their 4-2 loss to Slovenia.
Northern Ireland – Slovenia : Betting Tips
Slovenia – Win Odds: 2.25
