Republic of Ireland vs Northern Ireland
Local rivals Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland could really use a win right now, and that is exactly what the two nations will aim for as they play each other in an international friendly at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
The two neighbours are set for a crucial stretch in their respective Nations League campaigns—with the threat of relegation looming in front of them—so victory here could prove to be a catalyst as they try to stage a late, late turnaround.
It is a friendly at the end of the day and the results will matter little, but their situation, the rivalry and the fact that this game will be their first meeting in seven years will add plenty of intensity and flavour to it.
Talking Points
Confidence booster
As mentioned, both teams have had unpleasant UEFA Nations League runs in League B. They are winless after three games in the competition and are bottom of their respective groups.
The Republic of Ireland opened the pioneering season of the tournament with an embarrassing 4-1 defeat to Wales, and it hasn’t been good for them since then—though they did play out a stalemate with Denmark last month.
On the other hand, Northern Ireland have lost three straight. They produced one of their best international friendly 2018 results with a 3-0 victory over Israel in September, but they failed to make that performance translate in actual competitive matches.
Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland are just a defeat away from relegation to third-tier League C, so winning in this friendly is a must as they try to find their rhythm heading into the final stretch of football games this 2018.
Where will the scoring come?
The biggest issue for the two teams is their scoring. Put simply, they cannot find the back of the net and do not have the offensive tools to threaten opponents and change the flow of the game.
In fact, in their last five outings in all competitions, both nations have scored just four goals apiece. Making matters worse, the Republic of Ireland have conceded seven goals and Northern Ireland allowed eight in the same stretch.
Moreover, for Northern Ireland, they would have been left with just one goal in five if not for their performance against Israel.
It remains to be seen who will step up in the offensive end for the two teams, but a goal in Dublin will surely be a welcome sight for Irish fans.
Battle of O’Neills
Another interesting storyline to watch in this All-Ireland derby is the first battle of the two managers, Martin O’Neill of the Republic of Ireland and Michael O’Neill of Northern Ireland.
As cited earlier, this friendly is the first time that the two nations will play each other since May 2011. Michael took over Northern Ireland in December of that year, while Martin arrived at the Republic in 2013 following his two-year spell at Sunderland.
Martin, who was capped 64 times for Northern Ireland during his playing career, expects a tight matchup and even admits that there will be “the occasional pang” when he faces the team that he used to represent in international competitions.
Injuries and a slew of new faces
The injury bug has also hit the Republic of Ireland, forcing Martin O’Neill to make changes and call up new players to his camp.
Southampton striker Shane Long (ankle) and defender Blackburn Rovers defender Derrick Williams have been ruled out due to injuries, paving the way for teenage forward Michael Obafemi (Southampton) to retain his place in the team.
Everton defender Seamus Coleman and Burnley midfielder Robbie Brady also returned to the team to give Martin’s charges a boost.
On the other hand, Michael O’Neill selected 19-year-old midfielder Bobby Burns for his NI squad for the first time, while Kyle Lafferty also makes his return despite his last-minute and highly controversial withdrawal from the national team last month.
History
There’s little that can be taken from their past match-ups as they have only met once at the turn of the century—and yes, it was that match in 2011.
The Republic of Ireland completely obliterated Northern Ireland in that Nations Cup game, winning 5-0 behind goals from Stephen Ward, Robbie Keane and Simon Cox.
Overall, Ireland’s teams played 10 fixtures since 1978. The Republic of Ireland won four while Northern Ireland only had two, with the other four ending in a draw.
Remarkably though, Republic of Ireland have scored 17 goals in all of their meetings. In contrast, NI have made just hit a measly four markers.
Betting Tip
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Republic of Ireland vs Northern Ireland | Under 2.00 @ 1.87 |
| November 16, 03:45 (GMT+8) |
The Republic of Ireland are playing better than their neighbours, so it’s not surprising to see the International Friendly 2018 betting odds siding on them. Asian Handicap betting at SBOBET even gives them the clear edge.
However, the fact that both nations are struggling offensively is a cause for concern. Not to mention the defensive lapses they made in the past few weeks.
I think the Republic of Ireland have the edge, thanks to their deeper squad, but I don’t see this friendly exceeding two or more goals. Also, a draw isn’t an unlikely result given the way these Irish teams are playing.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR ( ) BETS ARE WORTH: |
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| = €20 (Highly confident) |
 = €10 (CONFIDENT) |
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT) |
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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