With no household names anywhere in their squad, Northern Ireland’s main strength lies in their ability to be more than the sum of their parts. Manager Michael O’Neill has turned his team into a very well-organized unit, one which let in just eight goals in qualifying.
That organization, coupled with their heart and determination, proved to be a very successful combination as Northern Ireland defied the odds and finished top of their qualifying group. They’re priced at +2,500 to pull off another huge shock and win Group C ahead of world champions Germany.
Team Weaknesses:
As mentioned earlier, this is not a team filled with incredibly talented individuals, particularly on the offensive end. They topped their qualifying group with 16 goals scored, but it should tell you something about the level of their opposition that the next-best teams had just 11.
They won’t see too much of the ball against all three of their group opponents, and they will struggle to create many good scoring chances when they do have it. Because of this lack of ammunition, the Green and White Army is the favorite at -150 to finish at the bottom of Group C.
Team Stats (During Euro Qualifiers):
Category
Stat
Goals Scored Per Game
1.6
Goals Conceded Per Game
0.8
Goal Attempts Per Game
12.6
Pass Completion Percentage
82%
Ball Possession Percentage
45%
Starting Lineup:
Position
Name (Age)
Career Caps
Goals
Goalie
Michael McGovern (31)
10
0
Defender
Chris Baird (34)
76
0
Defender
Gareth McAuley (36)
60
7
Defender
Jonny Evans (28)
47
1
Defender
Conor McLaughlin (24)
16
0
Midfielder
Jamie Ward (30)
20
2
Midfielder
Oliver Norwood (25)
32
0
Midfielder
Corry Evans (25)
32
1
Midfielder
Steven Adams (31)
81
8
Midfielder
Stuart Dallas (25)
12
1
Forward
Kyle Lafferty (28)
49
16
Writer’s Prediction
The Northern Ireland fairy tale gets a dose of reality as they finish bottom of Group D.
