Top spot in Nations League Group B2 is on the line when Ukraine and Northern Ireland meet in Trnava on Friday night (7.45pm). Our Ukraine vs Northern Ireland predictions look at a clash between two unbeaten sides who are yet to concede in the group.
Anthony Eadson’s Ukraine vs Northern Ireland predictions, best bets and score prediction are below.
Premium Tips
Here are our two premium tips for this top-of-the-table clash in Slovakia.
| Premium Tip | Odds | Why we’re backing it |
|---|---|---|
| Under 2.5 goals & both teams to score: No | 21/20 (William Hill) | All four Group B2 games so far have finished with fewer than three goals and at least one side failing to score, with only two goals scored across those fixtures. Ukraine and Northern Ireland have each kept two clean sheets from two. Northern Ireland have not scored more than once in any of their last nine matches, and nine of their last ten have gone under 2.5 goals. Ukraine have kept clean sheets in three of their last four outings and will be without the injured Mykhailo Mudryk. A tight, cagey game looks likely in Trnava, and this double at 21/20 with William Hill covers a win to nil for either side or a goalless draw. |
| Draw | 5/2 (bet365) | Both nations sit on four points with an identical record of one goal scored and none conceded, and both drew 0-0 on Monday night. Northern Ireland have carried more threat at the other end, with eight shots on target across their two group games compared with Ukraine’s five. Ukraine are not truly at home either, playing in Slovakia because of Russia’s invasion. Two of the last five meetings between the sides have ended level, both goalless, while five of the six ever played have produced fewer than three goals. With promotion at stake and so little between the teams on the evidence of the first two rounds, the draw at 5/2 with bet365 looks a strong play. |
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How Ukraine go into the game
Andrea Maldera’s side opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Hungary in Budapest, as Danylo Sikan scored the only goal three minutes before half-time. Ukraine then drew 0-0 with Georgia in Tbilisi on Monday, keeping a second straight clean sheet to sit level on points with Northern Ireland at the top.
Valeriy Bondar and Oleh Ocheretko are available after the Ukrainian Football Association confirmed each has only one yellow card in the campaign, while Oleksandr Nazarenko returns after serving a one-match ban for his red card against Hungary. Mykhailo Mudryk is out with an ankle injury, while Georgiy Sudakov was left out of the matchday squad for the Georgia game.
How Northern Ireland go into the game
Michael O’Neill’s young side won 1-0 in Tbilisi on the opening night, as Pierce Charles saved a penalty before his brother Shea struck in the ninth minute of stoppage time. A goalless draw with Hungary at Windsor Park followed on Monday, their first competitive draw since November 2024.
Daniel Ballard has been ruled out with a hamstring injury picked up in Georgia, so Ruairi McConville is expected to continue in defence, and Conor Bradley is still missing with a knee problem. Northern Ireland have not scored more than once in any of their last nine matches.
Ukraine vs Northern Ireland head-to-head
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03/06/21 | Ukraine | 1-0 | Northern Ireland |
| 16/06/16 | Ukraine | 0-2 | Northern Ireland |
| 06/09/03 | Ukraine | 0-0 | Northern Ireland |
| 16/10/02 | Northern Ireland | 0-0 | Ukraine |
| 02/04/97 | Ukraine | 2-1 | Northern Ireland |
Six previous meetings have produced three Ukraine wins, two draws and one Northern Ireland victory, which came at Euro 2016 when O’Neill’s side won 2-0 in Lyon. The most recent meeting was a friendly in June 2021, with Oleksandr Zubkov scoring in a 1-0 win for Ukraine.
Ukraine vs Northern Ireland predictions & betting tips
| Our Prediction | Odds & Bookmaker | Confidence | Why We’re Backing It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 2.5 goals & both teams to score: No | 21/20 (William Hill) | ⭐⭐⭐ | All four Group B2 games have gone under 2.5 goals with at least one side failing to score. |
| Draw | 5/2 (bet365) | ⭐⭐⭐ | Identical records so far, and both drew 0-0 on Monday. |
| Under 2.5 goals | 13/20 (William Hill) | ⭐⭐⭐ | Nine of Northern Ireland’s last ten matches have produced fewer than three goals. |
Ukraine vs Northern Ireland score prediction
Goals have been in short supply for both teams, with neither defence breached in Group B2 and neither attack firing. Northern Ireland have the edge in chance creation so far, while Ukraine are without the injured Mykhailo Mudryk and Artem Dovbyk. Score prediction: Ukraine 0-0 Northern Ireland.
