Italy vs Northern Ireland Prediction & Betting Tips - World Cup

Prediction published on 22/03/2021, 23:22  by Nella Wagah | Modified on 22/03/2021 at 23:23 in World Cup Prediction

After missing the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Italy will be keen to avoid the shortfalls that cost them then as they start the journey towards Qatar 2022. Italy will be hosting Northern Ireland in the first of their Group C matches and after qualifying for Euro 2020, they will be confident of getting the ticket in a group that also has Bulgaria, Switzerland and Lithuania. Italy are ranked 25 places above Northern Ireland and playing at home gives them an advantage too. Heading to this game Italy are unbeaten in their last 22 matches. They had a good run in the Nations League, going unbeaten in their group and finishing top of it. Defensively, they are good, carrying six clean sheets in seven matches. They have failed to score in just one of the last 10 matches and in the last three they’ve scored two or more goals. At home, Italy are unbeaten in 25 matches, winning 15 of them. Their last two World Cup qualification matches were against Sweden in the playoffs for the 2018 World Cup. Italy lost one and drew the other. In the last five meetings with Northern Ireland, Italy have not conceded a goal, and won four, however, their last meeting was way back in 2011.

Northern Ireland’s performance in their Nations League group was in stark contrast to Italy’s. They finished bottom of their group, and heading here, they have no outright win in their last 10 matches, having lost six. The visitors go to this game with one clean sheet in their last 10 matches and just three wins in the last 15 matches but have scored in seven of their last 10 matches. Away from home, they have no outright win in the last five; their only semblance of a win was on post match penalties against Bosnia-Herzegovina. Still away from home, they have one clean sheet in 10 matches and are not the best scorers, having managed two goals or more in two of 14 away matches. In seven of 15 away matches, Northern Ireland have failed to score and they will miss Charlton striker Connor Washington in all their next three fixtures as he nurses injury.