Northern Ireland vs San Marino prediction: EUROPE: Euro – Qualification betting tips on match 2023-10-13 13:00.
Northern Ireland have to win against San Marino to stand any chance of reaching next year’s UEFA European Championship, having only reached the finals once before in 2016. The good news for Michael O’Neill’s men is that they did defeat their upcoming opponents 2-0 in the reverse fixture in March, maintaining the country’s 100% H2H record from five games played (GF16, GA0).
Since then however, the Green and White Away have suffered five losses on the trot – failing to score in four of those matches – and should they be beaten for a sixth successive time here, it would represent their worst run of form since June 2012. On the plus side for the hosts, San Marino haven’t netted at all this qualifying campaign.
La Serenissima already know that they are unable to make it to Germany next summer. The world’s worst football team according to FIFA’s rankings (#207th) have also failed to score in their last seven Euros qualifiers dating back to November 2019, drawing blanks in their previous 14 away qualifiers overall for the Euros and the FIFA World Cup.
The last time San Marino even claimed a point in any qualifier was almost nine years ago – a 0-0 draw with Estonia – and just four members of the current squad have a goal to their name on the international stage! An unthinkable victory at Windsor Park for Fabrizio Constantini’s side would earn the minnows their first-ever international away win, having only previously drawn against Saint Lucia, Liechtenstein and Latvia on the road in their entire history.
Players to watch: Dion Charles scored twice to seal the three points for Northern Ireland in the reverse fixture, with all eight of his goals for Bolton Wanderers this season coming before the hour mark. For San Marino, attacker Lorenzo Lazzari represents perhaps their best hope of getting on the scoresheet, as he was the last person to net for the nation in November against Saint Lucia.
Hot stat: San Marino have conceded twice in eight of the 12 halves of football during this qualifying campaign.