Northern Ireland-San Marino is a match valid for the seventh day of Group H of Euro 2024 qualifiers and is played on Saturday at 3 p.m.: predictions.
Match that has very little to say, the one between Northern Ireland and San Marino. These are two selections that, although there are still four games to play, have no more chances to get back into the race for the top two places in Group H, so far one of the most balanced and uncertain. San Marino, defeated six times out of six, is already out arithmetically: the mathematics, on the other hand, do not condemn the British, but hopes are now at a low point.
Michael O’Neill’s selection barely scored three points in a group in which, apart from Denmark, there were certainly no irresistible national teams. And the five consecutive defeats after the predictable success on the opener with San Marino, beaten 2-0 at home, confirm the difficult moment of a representative team that has no longer been able to reach the levels of a few years ago: in 2016 it qualified for the first time to the final stage of a European championship, the one organized by France. Excluding the challenge with the very modest San Marino selection, Northern Ireland has scored only two goals in five matches, both scored in the pyrotechnic match with Slovenia (4-2). Otherwise only and exclusively narrow defeats (Finland, Denmark and twice Kazakhstan), with O’Neill’s men unable to pierce the opponent’s defense.
There could be a turnaround in the Windsor Park match against San Marino: no team, in fact, has conceded more goals (21) in these qualifiers.
Costantini, San Marino selector
The goal of the selection led by Fabrizio Costantini is obviously to try to limit the damage as much as possible. So far Vitaioli and his teammates have succeeded in their matches with Slovenia and Northern Ireland, losing “only” by two goals. It is more difficult for them to return to scoring a goal: the last one scored in an official match was in 2021 against Poland.
The Prediction
Northern Ireland will likely return to success after racking up five defeats in a row, but the three points will essentially be of little use as qualification is now gone. The Northern Irish will most likely score two to four goals, ending both halves of the game ahead.
The likely lineups for Northern Ireland-San Marino
- NORTHERN IRELAND (4-4-2): Peacock-Farrell; Hume, Evans, McNair, Lewis; McMenamin, S. Charles, Saville, Kennedy; D. Charles, Washington.
- SAN MARINO (5-3-2): Benedettini; D’Addario, Franciosi, Di Maio, Rossi, Palazzi; Battistini, Golinucci, Mularoni; Lazzari, Vitaioli.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 3-0
