Northern Ireland-Slovenia is a match valid for the eighth day of Euro 2024 qualifying Group H and is played on Tuesday at 8:45 p.m.: predictions.
Of the five already won since qualification for Germany 2024 began, the one won last Saturday in the direct clash with Finland was undoubtedly the most important. Drawn by a wild Benjamin Sesko, author of a double, Slovenia swept away the Scandinavians (3-0), avenging the first leg defeat and taking a probably decisive step toward the next European Championship.
Matjaz Kek’s selection, which has not participated in the final stage of a continental review since the 2000 edition (Belgium and the Netherlands), now has a four-point lead over the Finland-Kazakhstan pair, two representatives who will, among other things, take points off each other in this round. Slovenia is tied at 16 along with Denmark but is momentarily ahead thanks to better goal difference. The goal is not far away, but the feeling is that everything will depend on the next two matches: before the direct clash with the Danes, there is the match in Belfast against Northern Ireland, now out of the game – the British are last on 6 points and can no longer finish among the top two – but always tricky, especially when facing them in front of their own public (and Italy knows something about that).
Of course, the Northern Irish could still hope for a place in the play-offs but that is a rather remote possibility at the moment.
Hume
Northern Ireland-Slovenia (European Championship, 17-10-2023 8:45 pm ): lineups, odds, predictions. Guests expected in Belfast https://t.co/bxuMAgXXkQ betting predictions
– InfoBetting (@infobetting) October 15, 2023
The Prediction
Slovenia boasts the best attack in the group with 16 goals scored, four of which they netted last September against Northern Ireland of all places in a pyrotechnic 4-2 win. This time it will be trickier to take away the three points from a difficult field like Belfast, especially with a half-operated Sesko due to the blow to the head taken during the match with Finland. Slovenia in any case should avoid defeat in a match where in all likelihood the total goals will be at least two.
The probable lineups of Northern Ireland-Slovenia
- NORTHERN IRELAND (4-3-3): Peacock-Farrell; Hume, Ballard, Evans, Lewis; Saville, S. Charles, Thompson; Smyth, Magennis, Taylor.
- SLOVENIA (4-4-2): Oblak; Karnicnik, Bijol, Blazic, Janza; Mlakar, Elsnik, Gnezda Cerin, Stojanovic; Sporar, Sesko.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-2
