Northern Ireland vs Luxembourg prediction: EUROPE: World Cup – Qualification betting tips on match 2025-11-16 19:45.
[p]Northern Ireland and Luxembourg, who are already confirmed to be finishing third and fourth respectively in World Cup qualification (WCQ) Group A, conclude their campaign with a dead-rubber clash.[/p]
[p]Match News and Current Form[/p]
[p]Before conceding in injury time and losing 1-0 against Slovakia on matchday five, Northern Ireland were still in the hunt for a second-place finish in Group A. Finishing in the top two may no longer be possible for the Green and White Army but they are at least assured of one of the four 2026 World Cup play-off spots reserved for Nations League group winners. Michael O’Neill’s side will now be looking to garner some momentum going into those play-offs in March having lost three of their last four fixtures (W1), including a 1-0 defeat against Germany in their last home game, which serves as their only defeat across their last eight games at Windsor Park (W6, D1).[/p]
[p]Luxembourg have scored only once and lost all five of their WCQ games this term, meaning that failure to win in Belfast will see them complete a WCQ campaign without a victory for the first time since the 2006 cycle. Jeff Strasser’s side haven’t scored in any of their last four games and have netted in only two of their last nine fixtures on foreign soil, which goes some way to explaining their two-year wait for an away win. Things are bleak on the road at present with Luxembourg losing each of their last three away games by a 2+ goal margin, a feat they also fell to in the reverse fixture.[/p]
[p]Head-to-Head History[/p]
[p]Northern Ireland have won five of the eight historical H2Hs (D2, L1), winning the last two meetings at Windsor Park without conceding. [/p]
[p]Hot Stats and Streaks[/p]
[p]Only one of Northern Ireland’s last 12 home games saw both teams score.[/p]
[p]There has been exactly one first-half goal in Northern Ireland’s three home matches in 2025.[/p]
[p]Luxembourg haven’t scored before half-time in any of their last 12 games on foreign soil.[/p]
[p]Luxembourg have conceded nine of their 12 goals in this WCQ cycle after half-time.[/p]
[p]Key Players to Watch and Missing Players[/p]
[p]Ethan Galbraith got an assist in Northern Ireland’s last home match and will return from suspension for this game after picking up bookings in two of his three previous international appearances. Aiman Dardari was the last Luxembourg player to score, netting an equaliser in the reverse H2H – his last seven scoring appearances for club or country saw him net before half-time.[/p]
[p]Daniel Ballard and George Saville are both suspended for the hosts, as is Florian Bohnert for Luxembourg.[/p]
[p]For all the latest team news, please check the Flashscore match centre[/p]
[p]Betting Analysis[/p]
[p]First-half goals have been a rarity in games involving both sides lately, so backing 0-0 as the correct score at half-time looks like a smart bet.[/p]
[p]Author: Tom Penn[/p]