Scotland vs Northern Ireland betting tips, BuildABet, best bets and preview
Football betting tips: International friendly
1pt Over 2.5 goals at 11/8 (Sky Bet)
Scotland's preparations for Euro 2024 began with a 4-0 defeat to the Netherlands in Amsterdam, a result that stretched their winless run to six in all competitions.
It should be noted though that four of those games came against England, France and Spain, while the home draw to Norway was ultimately a dead rubber contest with qualification already secured.
At home, they've been strong. England the only side to beat them on their own turf across the last eight. Five of those also came with a clean sheet.
Northern Ireland's draw away at Romania can be seen as a big positive considering the opposition's place at the summer's tournament. Even with a win over Denmark to conclude their qualification campaign, we can't ignore the fact that seven of the eight previously ended in defeat.
What are the best bets?
As expected, a Scotland win is a short 1/2 across the board - 8/13 is the best price you'll find.
San Marino are the only team that Northern Ireland have beaten away across their last nine - Finland and Slovenia scoring four in meetings that took place in the latter stages of 2023.
I was actually going to no bet this game, but the 11/8 price on OVER 2.5 GOALS provides some small appeal.
This has been a winning selection in five of Scotland's last seven at home, while Steve Clarke's side have found the net at least twice in seven of the last eight at Hampden.
Northern Ireland scoring in each of their last two gives me some confidence that they can contribute, although I wouldn't be surprised to see the hosts cover this line by themselves.
BuildABet @ 22/1
- Over 2.5 goals
- 10+ corners
- Northern Ireland 14+ fouls committed
- Scott McTominay to score or assist
Click here to back with Sky Bet
A game that sees goals will hopefully also lead to CORNERS. Scotland have been contributing to this count in their home contests - six of the last eight have seen them taking at least six.
SCOTT MCTOMINAY has been in fine form for his country, with seven goals and an assist in his last 11 outings.
On the Northern Ireland side of things, they committed 15 FOULS in the draw with Romania, making 14+ an appealing selection on Tuesday night.
Team news
Some rotation is expected from the hosts after their trip to Amsterdam on Friday, and Clarke will be without central defenders Grant Hanley and Scott McKenna after they withdrew from the squad.
Up front, Lawrence Shankland started against the Netherlands but Che Adams and Lyndon Dykes are pushing for the striker's spot.
For the visitors, Bailey Peacock-Farrell may get the nod in goal after featuring in the second-half in Bucharest, with Conor Hazard potentially replacing him at the break.
Stevenage's Jamie Reid found the net in that game, and he is likely to get the start again up front here.
Predicted line-ups
Scotland XI: Gordon; Patterson, Hendry, Porteous, Robertson; Gilmour, McTominay; Christie, McGinn, Armstrong; Adams.
N. Ireland XI: Peacock-Farrell; Bradley, Toal, McNair, Hume, Spencer; Thompson, Charles; Price, Reid, Lane.
Match facts
- This is the first meeting between Scotland and Northern Ireland since March 2015 in a friendly, won 1-0 by the Scots with a goal from Christophe Berra.
- Northern Ireland are winless in their last 10 away matches against Scotland (D3 L7) since a 1-0 win in May 1974. In those 10 games, they have only scored one goal, with Billy Hamilton scoring their opening goal in a 1-1 draw in March 1981.
- Scotland are winless in their last six games in all competitions (D2 L4), having won five in a row before this. They’ve conceded 18 goals in these six games, as many as they’d shipped in their previous 22 combined.
- Northern Ireland have lost just three of their last 11 friendly matches (W6 D2), with just one of those losses coming away from home (0-1 v Ukraine in June 2021).
- Scotland have won just one of their last 12 friendly matches (D3 L8), beating Luxembourg 1-0 in June 2021. They’ve lost their last four in a row, but have never previously lost five consecutive friendlies.
- After a run of seven defeats in eight games in all competitions (W1), Northern Ireland have gone unbeaten in their last two (W1 D1). They last avoided defeat in three consecutive matches between November 2021 and March 2022.
- Scotland have scored at least once in each of their last 17 home games in all competitions, last failing to do so in a goalless draw with Israel in October 2020. It’s the Tartan Army’s longest scoring streak at home since a run of 20 between 1974 and 1978.
- Northern Ireland have lost each of their last five games played on a Tuesday in all competitions, conceding 13 goals and scoring just three in reply.
Odds correct at 1045 GMT (25/03/24)
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