Malta vs Northern Ireland: Betting tips, predictions, odds & match preview
Northern Ireland will be looking to get up and running under Ian Baraclough when they travel to face Malta in a friendly on Sunday at 5pm.
Malta vs Northern Ireland: Betting Tips
- Josh Magennis to score at anytime
- Both teams to score
Odds will appear here when available
Malta vs Northern Ireland: Predictions
Baraclough replaced Michael O’Neill as Northern Ireland manager in June 2020 and has taken charge of 11 games so far. However, Northern Ireland have managed just one win during that time, beating Bosnia and Herzegovina 5-4 in the semi-final of their Euro 2020 qualifying play-off. In the remaining 10 games, Northern Ireland have drawn three and lost seven including the play-off final against Slovakia, leaving them watching on as the other three Home Nations take part.
In that same timespan, Malta have won four, drawn four and lost three of their 11 matches across the Uefa Nations League, friendlies and World Cup qualifying. The nation, ranked 175th in the world, do go into this game without a win in four, with losses against Croatia and Russia joined by draws with Faroe Islands and Slovakia.
Malta vs Northern Ireland: Match Stats
Baraclough has named a number of young players in his squad for the friendly double-header against Malta and Ukraine, which will provide invaluable experience for the future. However, it also means they might be more reliant on the elder statesmen such as Josh Magennis. The 30-year-old doesn’t have the greatest of international records, having scored eight times in 59 caps for Northern Ireland, but he ended the season in good form for Hull City. Magennis scored seven goals in his final eight games as Hull secured promotion to the Championship.
Whoever does score for Northern Ireland will likely be joined by a Maltese player as they have been building up a good run of finding the net. In their 11 games since the start of 2020, Malta have only failed to score twice, kept out by Andorra and Croatia. At the same time, Northern Ireland have only kept one clean sheet in Baraclough’s 13 games in charge.
Malta vs Northern Ireland: Squawka Says
Scoreline prediction: Malta 1-2 Northern Ireland
Malta vs Northern Ireland: Odds
Malta vs Northern Ireland: Head to Head
6 June 2013 – Malta 0-0 Northern Ireland – Friendly
6 October 2001 – Malta 0-1 Northern Ireland – World Cup qualifying
2 September 2000 – Northern Ireland 1-0 – World Cup qualifying
26 April 1989 – Malta 0-2 Northern Ireland – World Cup qualifying
21 May 1988 – Northern Ireland 3-0 Malta – World Cup qualifying
Northern Ireland have been almost perfect in their previous find matches against Malta, winning four and drawing once without conceding. However, those five games have been spread out, with only two coming within the past 20 years.
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