Northern Ireland vs Finland Prediction and Football Tips

Euro 2016 football tips – Northern Ireland vs Finland prediction

Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill, will be disappointed with the 1-0 friendly defeat against Scotland but knows that a number of key players did not start that match. However, there were some good displays from the likes of Chris Baird, Jonny Evans and Aaron Hughes at the back. Expect Steven Davis, Chris Brunt and Kyle Lafferty all to start this match, having been on the bench against Scotland.

The current star of Finnish football is Ajax central defender Niklas Moisander, who been crowned Finland’s footballer of the year for the last 2 years. He and Roman Eremenko, are key players in Finland’s fight to qualify for Euro 2016 and both should start against Northern Ireland, with striker Teemu Pukki leading the line in attack.

• Over the course of their previous 10 matches, Northern Ireland have scored an average of 0.7 goals and conceded an average of 0.9 goals per game.
• Over the course of their previous 10 matches, Finland have scored an average of 1 goal and conceded an average of 1 goal per game.
• There have been over 2.5 goals scored in 1 of Northern Ireland’s previous 10 matches
• There have been over 2.5 goals scored in 3 of Finland’s previous 10 matches.
• From their previous 3 meetings, there has been 1 win each and a draw.

Northern Ireland started Euro 2016 qualifying Group F very strongly, with excellent away wins over Hungary and Greece. A defeat away to Romania, should not dampen spirits too much, as Northern Ireland sit in second place with 9 points from their 4 games so far, just 1 point behind leaders Romania.

Finland started the group well enough, defeating the Faroe Islands and then drawing at home with Greece. Since then, two defeats, at home to Romania and away to Hungary, leaves Finland in fourth place, 5 points behind Northern Ireland and 3 points off third place Hungary.

Northern Ireland like to keep things tight in games and this one should be no different. Finland have to come to Windsor Park and take something from the game, if they are to have any realistic chance of securing qualification for Euro 2016. This should be a closely fought match but one that Northern Ireland will expect to take 3 points from, if they want to maintain hopes of automatic qualification.

Northern Ireland and under 2.5 goals at 15/4 with Bet365

What are your predictions and football tips?