Northern Ireland, currently occupying the play-off progression spot in Group A, will host Slovakia, the group leaders, in what promises to be a crucial World Cup Qualification UEFA clash.
Nothern Ireland host Slovakia on Friday night, desperate for a result in their bid to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
Northern Ireland vs Slovakia Form
Northern Ireland's last match saw them lose 3-1 away to Germany. Prior to that, they secured a 3-1 away win against Luxembourg in World Cup Qualification UEFA.
Slovakia come into this fixture on the back of a 1-0 away victory against Luxembourg in World Cup Qualification UEFA. They have also recently beat Germany 2-0 at home.
The most recent encounter between these two nations saw Slovakia emerge victorious with a 2-1 win after extra time in a European Championship Qualification match back in November 2020.
Northern Ireland vs Slovakia Predicted Lineups
Northern Ireland (3-5-2): Peacock-Farrell; Toal, McNair, Hume; Devenny, McCann, Charles, Galbraith, Bradley; Reid, Price
Slovakia (4-3-3): Dúbravka; Hancko, Skriniar, Satka, Gyömbér; Duda, Bénes, Bero; Sauer, Strelec, Duris
Northern Ireland vs Slovakia Team News
Northern Ireland will be without Ciaron Brown and Pierce Charles due to injury. Manager Michael O'Neill is likely to stick with the same starting lineup that faced Germany. Jamie Reid is expected to retain his starting berth, keeping Dion Charles on the bench.
Slovakia will miss Stanislav Lobotka through injury. Laszlo Benes is expected to step into the midfield in his absence. Tomas Rigo, despite scoring the winner against Luxembourg, is likely to start on the bench.
Who is the betting favourite in Northern Ireland vs Slovakia?
Last updated: Thursday 9th October 12:45pm
At the time of publishing, Nothern Ireland are the marginal favourites to get the win over Slovakia, priced up at odds of 6/4 generally.
Slovakia are 2/1 underdogs with UK bookmakers across Oddschecker, and the draw is priced also at 2/1.
| Match Result | Best Odds |
|---|---|
| Northern Ireland | 7/4 |
| Draw | 11/5 |
| Slovakia | 2/1 |
Find and compare best odds on Northern Ireland vs Slovakia here.
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Northern Ireland vs Slovakia Match Prediction
Northern Ireland are in the play-off progression spot in Group A, despite losing 3-1 against Germany in gameweek two. Before that result, Michael O'Neill's men beat Luxembourg 3-1 on the road, meaning Friday's fixture will set the tone for the second round of group games.
Slovakia travel to Northern Ireland with a golden chance to move within mere points of World Cup qualification. Francesco Calzona's men went into the group stages looking to end a three-match losing streak, but beat Germany 2-0 in their opener before squeezing past Luxembourg in gameweek two. They are top of the standings heading into Friday's clash.
Score Prediction: Northern Ireland 1-1 Slovakia
Northern Ireland vs Slovakia Bet Builder Tip
Our bet builder tips for Northern Ireland vs Slovakia include Under 2.5 Match Goals and David Strelec to have 2+ Shots on Target.
At the time of publishing the bet builder is odds of 11/2 with bet365.
To compare best odds on your football bet builders, visit our dedicated Bet Builder Hub.
Under 2.5 Match Goals: Landed in eight of Northern Ireland's last nine home matches.
David Strelec - 2+ Shots on Target: This bet has landed in two of Strelec's previous five competitive starts for Slovakia.
