MX23RW : Saturday, October 12 16:40:06| >> :600:124647:124647:
[monks data]
Bulgaria national football team
Nations League | League C
Sep 8, 2024 at 5pm UK
Stadion Hristo Botev
Northern Ireland national football team

Bulgaria
1 - 0
N. Ireland

Despodov (40')
Ahmedov (78'), Nurnberger (90+1'), Kolev (90+3')
FT(HT: 1-0)

Charles (28'), McNair (29'), Bradley (59'), Hume (81')

Preview: Bulgaria vs. Northern Ireland - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Sunday's Nations League clash between Bulgaria and Northern Ireland, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Bulgaria play host to Northern Ireland on matchday two of the UEFA Nations League with both teams having made an unbeaten start to Group C3.

On the same evening that Bulgaria were being held by Belarus, Northern Ireland posted a victory over Luxembourg.


Match preview

Northern Ireland head coach Michael O'Neill on March 26, 2024© Imago

Since his return as manager, Michael O'Neill has evidently needed time to improve the belief within the Northern Ireland ranks after dropping down the international pecking order.

However, a total of four victories - all with clean sheets - have been recorded in their last six outings, the only defeat coming in a friendly to Spain.

Northern Ireland find themselves in a Nations League group which is winnable, and delivering a 2-0 success over Luxembourg in Belfast on Thursday night has set them on their way.

Early goals from Paddy McNair and Dan Ballard proved to be the difference as their extended their winning record at home to three successive matches.

Away success has been in far shorter supply, yet O'Neill and his players will take the 1-0 triumph over Scotland at Hampden Park in March as evidence that they are capable of overcoming teams at this level.

To a certain extent, Bulgaria find themselves on a similar trajectory to Northern Ireland, there being somewhat of a renaissance since the back end of 2023.

Ilian Iliev is yet to lose as national team boss, albeit with six draws being recorded from his seven matches in charge.

Foundations are being built, though, with draws having been posted against Hungary, Serbia, Azerbaijan, Romania and Slovenia ahead of the game with Belarus earlier this week.

Iliev would have perhaps expected to see off their most recent opponents, but extending a run of conceding just twice in five games was at least something positive to take from the goalless draw in Zalaegerszeg.

Bulgaria Nations League form:


Bulgaria form (all competitions):


Northern Ireland Nations League form:


Northern Ireland form (all competitions):



Team News

O'Neill has a choice to make with his forward line with Josh Magennis having replaced Dion Charles at half time against Luxembourg.

Some rotation is a possibility with O'Neill acknowledging that several players looked leggy through their lack of game time at club level.

Jamal Lewis, Ali McCann, Ross McCausland and Paul Smyth are first in line to come into the team.

Bulgaria will be without Filip Krastev after the playmaker was sent off for two yellow cards on Thursday.

Ivan Minchev is in line to be the straight replacement in what may prove to be the only alteration to the side.


Bulgaria possible starting lineup:
Mitov; Popov, Petkov, Atanasov, Nurnberger; Gruev, Antov; Despodov, Minchev, Kirilov; Kolev

Northern Ireland possible starting lineup:
Peacock-Farrell; McNair, Ballard, Brown; Bradley, Saville, Charles, Hume; Price, Charles, Marshall


SM words green background

We say: Bulgaria 1-1 Northern Ireland

On the back of defeating Luxembourg, Northern Ireland will consider themselves to be favourites to edge through this fixture. However, Bulgaria have made a habit of posting draws under this manager, leading us to predict another low-scoring stalemate.


For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.




ID:552322:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect9015:

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Game History

How you voted: Bulgaria vs N. Ireland

Bulgaria
39.7%
Draw
35.9%
Northern Ireland
24.4%
131
Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
Newcastle United's Jamal Lewis in action on July 27, 2024
Read Next:
Lewis makes Sao Paulo history after joining on loan from Newcastle
>
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free match previews newsletter! Updates are sent twice a week.
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS

League A1

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Portugal Portugal22006
2 Croatia Croatia21013
3 Poland Poland21013
4 Scotland flag Scotland20020

League A2

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Italy Italy32107
2 France France32016
3 Belgium Belgium31114
4 Israel Israel30030

League A3

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Germany Germany32107
2 Netherlands Netherlands31205
3 Hungary Hungary30212
4 Bosnia Bosnia H'vina30121

League A4

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Denmark Denmark22006
2 Spain Spain21104
3 Serbia Serbia20111
4 Switzerland Switzerland20020

League B1

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Georgia Georgia32016
2 Czech Republic Czech Republic32016
3 Albania national flag Albania31023
4 Ukraine Ukraine31023

League B2

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Greece Greece33009
2 England flag England32016
3 Ireland Rep. Ireland31023
4 Finland Finland30030

League B3

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Norway Norway32107
2 Austria Austria31114
3 Slovenia Slovenia31114
4 Kazakhstan Kazakhstan30121

League B4

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Turkey Turkey32107
2 Wales flag Wales31205
3 Iceland Iceland31114
4 Montenegro Montenegro30030

League C1

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Sweden Sweden32107
2 Slovakia Slovakia32107
3 Estonia Estonia31023
4 Azerbaijan Azerbaijan30030

League C2

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Romania Romania22006
2 Kosovo flag Kosovo32016
3 Cyprus Cyprus21013
4 Lithuania Lithuania30030

League C3

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Belarus Belarus21104
2 Bulgaria Bulgaria21104
3 Northern Ireland flag N. Ireland21013
4 Luxembourg flag Luxembourg20020

League C4

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Macedonia N. Macedonia32107
2 Armenia Armenia31114
3 Latvia Latvia31023
4 Faroe Islands Faroe Islands30212

League D1

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Gibraltar flag Gibraltar21104
2 San Marino flag San Marino21013
3 Liechtenstein flag Liechtenstein20111

League D2

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Republic of Moldova Moldova22006
2 Malta flag Malta21013
3 Andorra flag Andorra20020


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!