The best Football
Predictions
Northern Ireland
WC Qualification Europe
Group Stage
Wed , Mar 31 , 2021 20:45
0 - 0
Bulgaria
Northern Ireland
Bulgaria
0 - 0
Two teams without points, Northern Ireland and Bulgaria face each other in Belfast, trying to break lengthy winless streaks. Read our reasons for Northern Ireland vs Bulgaria prediction and betting tips.
With Italy and Switzerland in this group, qualification is more than a tough job for the three remaining teams. Both favorites got their wins in the two-round so far, so already slim chances to make surprise are minor than ten days before. Northern Ireland lost 2-0 on the road against Italy and that was the continuation of a bad streak, as Baraclough’s men have not kept a single clean sheet in their past 11 straight matches, and they have a total of just one from their former 15 games. They have also failed to keep clean sheets at home in every appearance after 2019, and they had also conceded a total of eleven goals from their former five home games. They are not the most creative team so they will have problems at both ends of the pitch.
Northern Ireland's Jamal Lewis is expected to return from a groin injury that kept him out of the opening game of the international period, having featured from the bench against the USA and will contend for a place on the left flank. Manager Ian Baraclough previously lost striker Conor Washington to injury and winger Jordan Jones was forced to withdraw just before the squad was announced. Young Daniel Ballard, currently on loan at Blackpool from Arsenal, impressed despite the defeat on Sunday, and speculation persists that the 21-year-old center-back could keep his place in the back three, alongside Jonny Evans and Craig Cathcart. Strikers Kyle Lafferty and Shayne Lavery - who played under Baraclough for the Under-21s and has eight goals in his last five games for Irish League leaders Linfield - offered energy and application at the weekend, so either could be favored to one of the previous duo, Josh Magennis and Gavin Whyte.
Northern Ireland: Peacock-Farrell; McNair, J. Evans, Cathcart; Dallas, Davis, McCann, C. Evans, Kennedy; Magennis, Lafferty
Bulgaria also has its troubles after years without success on the international stage, changing coaches and approaches, very vulnerable with influences from the domestic clubs that want to include as many players as possible in the national team. They lost both games with firm favorites for two places at the top, Switzerland, and Italy. They conceded three goals in 13 minutes in the first match but against Italy, they looked much better and fought until the end. They lost 2-0 but the second goal came in added time. They also had clean sheets in just four of their past 25 match-ups, and they had conceded two or more goals in five of their last eight fixtures. Also, they have won just once on the road since 2016.
New Bulgaria boss Yasen Petrov included 10 uncapped players in his first selection as national coach, though regular fixtures such as experienced center-back Vasil Bozhikov and Brazil-born wing-back Cicinho should once again start in Petrov's favored 3-5-2 on Wednesday. Young Bologna defender Valentin Antov started against Italy, having begun on the bench versus Switzerland, and will hope to keep his spot in the back three ahead of CSKA Sofia skipper Petar Zanev. Fellow Serie A player Andrey Galabinov, of Spezia, should keep his place upfront, after being omitted from the squad entirely last Thursday. Meanwhile, Kiril Despodov - scorer against the Swiss - may come back in for Spas Delev in support of the striker.
Bulgaria: P. Iliev; Dimov, Antov, Zanev; Cicinho, Malinov, Kostadinov, Chochev, Tsetanov; Despodov, Galabinov
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Both countries are in poor form and we're expecting a very tight and nervous 90-minutes on Wednesday. BettingKick’s Northern Ireland vs Bulgaria Prediction: Under 2.5 goals.
3-5-2
3-5-2
Northern Ireland
Bulgaria
| 12.10.2021. | Bulgaria | VS | Northern Ireland | 2-1 |
L
|
| 09.10.2021. | Switzerland | VS | Northern Ireland | 2-0 |
L
|
| 08.09.2021. | Northern Ireland | VS | Switzerland | 0-0 |
D
|
| 05.09.2021. | Estonia | VS | Northern Ireland | 0-1 |
W
|
| 02.09.2021. | Lithuania | VS | Northern Ireland | 1-4 |
W
|
| 03.06.2021. | Ukraine | VS | Northern Ireland | 1-0 |
L
|
| 31.05.2021. | Malta | VS | Northern Ireland | 0-3 |
W
|
| 31.03.2021. | Northern Ireland | VS | Bulgaria | 0-0 |
D
|
| 28.03.2021. | Northern Ireland | VS | United States | 1-2 |
L
|
| 25.03.2021. | Italy | VS | Northern Ireland | 2-0 |
L
|
| 08.09.2021. | Northern Ireland | VS | Switzerland | 0-0 |
D
|
| 31.03.2021. | Northern Ireland | VS | Bulgaria | 0-0 |
D
|
| 28.03.2021. | Northern Ireland | VS | United States | 1-2 |
L
|
| 18.11.2020. | Northern Ireland | VS | Romania | 1-1 |
D
|
| 12.11.2020. | Northern Ireland | VS | Slovakia | 1-2 |
L
|
| 11.10.2020. | Northern Ireland | VS | Austria | 0-1 |
L
|
| 07.09.2020. | Northern Ireland | VS | Norway | 1-5 |
L
|
| 16.11.2019. | Northern Ireland | VS | Netherlands | 0-0 |
D
|
| 09.09.2019. | Northern Ireland | VS | Germany | 0-2 |
L
|
| 05.09.2019. | Northern Ireland | VS | Luxembourg | 1-0 |
W
|
| 12.10.2021. | Bulgaria | VS | Northern Ireland | 2-1 |
L
|
| 09.10.2021. | Switzerland | VS | Northern Ireland | 2-0 |
L
|
| 05.09.2021. | Estonia | VS | Northern Ireland | 0-1 |
W
|
| 02.09.2021. | Lithuania | VS | Northern Ireland | 1-4 |
W
|
| 03.06.2021. | Ukraine | VS | Northern Ireland | 1-0 |
L
|
| 31.05.2021. | Malta | VS | Northern Ireland | 0-3 |
W
|
| 25.03.2021. | Italy | VS | Northern Ireland | 2-0 |
L
|
| 15.11.2020. | Austria | VS | Northern Ireland | 2-1 |
L
|
| 14.10.2020. | Norway | VS | Northern Ireland | 1-0 |
L
|
| 08.10.2020. | Bosnia | VS | Northern Ireland | 1-1 |
D
|
| 12.10.2021. | Bulgaria | VS | Northern Ireland | 2-1 |
W
|
| 09.10.2021. | Lithuania | VS | Bulgaria | 3-1 |
L
|
| 08.09.2021. | Bulgaria | VS | Georgia | 4-1 |
W
|
| 05.09.2021. | Bulgaria | VS | Lithuania | 1-0 |
W
|
| 02.09.2021. | Italy | VS | Bulgaria | 1-1 |
D
|
| 08.06.2021. | France | VS | Bulgaria | 3-0 |
L
|
| 05.06.2021. | Russia | VS | Bulgaria | 1-0 |
L
|
| 01.06.2021. | Slovakia | VS | Bulgaria | 1-1 |
D
|
| 31.03.2021. | Northern Ireland | VS | Bulgaria | 0-0 |
D
|
| 28.03.2021. | Bulgaria | VS | Italy | 0-2 |
L
|
| 12.10.2021. | Bulgaria | VS | Northern Ireland | 2-1 |
W
|
| 08.09.2021. | Bulgaria | VS | Georgia | 4-1 |
W
|
| 05.09.2021. | Bulgaria | VS | Lithuania | 1-0 |
W
|
| 28.03.2021. | Bulgaria | VS | Italy | 0-2 |
L
|
| 25.03.2021. | Bulgaria | VS | Switzerland | 1-3 |
L
|
| 15.11.2020. | Bulgaria | VS | Finland | 1-2 |
L
|
| 11.11.2020. | Bulgaria | VS | Gibraltar | 3-0 |
W
|
| 14.10.2020. | Bulgaria | VS | Wales | 0-1 |
L
|
| 08.10.2020. | Bulgaria | VS | Hungary | 1-3 |
L
|
| 03.09.2020. | Bulgaria | VS | Republic of Ireland | 1-1 |
D
|
| 09.10.2021. | Lithuania | VS | Bulgaria | 3-1 |
L
|
| 02.09.2021. | Italy | VS | Bulgaria | 1-1 |
D
|
| 08.06.2021. | France | VS | Bulgaria | 3-0 |
L
|
| 05.06.2021. | Russia | VS | Bulgaria | 1-0 |
L
|
| 01.06.2021. | Slovakia | VS | Bulgaria | 1-1 |
D
|
| 31.03.2021. | Northern Ireland | VS | Bulgaria | 0-0 |
D
|
| 18.11.2020. | Republic of Ireland | VS | Bulgaria | 0-0 |
D
|
| 11.10.2020. | Finland | VS | Bulgaria | 2-0 |
L
|
| 06.09.2020. | Wales | VS | Bulgaria | 1-0 |
L
|
| 11.10.2019. | Montenegro | VS | Bulgaria | 0-0 |
D
|
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Daniel Garcia is originally from Basque Country, and as a kid who grew up just a few streets from Mendizorrotza Stadium, the choice of Deportivo Alavés as his favourite club is more than obvious. Because of his studies, he moved to Madrid where he graduated in Sports Journalism. Daniel plays football on the weekends, but that does not stop him from watching all La Liga matches. He believes that the outcome of a match can be predicted if all the parameters are analyzed well, including form of the players and weather conditions. Currently he is living in Belgrade, and is in love with a Serbian girl who works as a journalist at one of the famous Sport Channels in Serbia.
