Northern Ireland are back in Nations League action on Friday night as they take on Belarus in Belfast, with the possibility of securing promotion from League C with a win.
Northern Ireland v Belarus best bets
- Isaac Price to score – 11/4 with Sky Bet
- Northern Ireland to win 1-0 – 4/1 with Sky Bet
Northern Ireland v Belarus odds
Find the latest match odds for Northern Ireland v Belarus courtesy of Sky Bet. Odds are subject to change.
Northern Ireland v Belarus predictions
Northern Ireland head into the final international break of 2024 with the aim of achieving promotion from the Nations League C3 at the second time of asking and back into the second tier.
Michael O’Neill’s side head into Friday’s match, their penultimate of the campaign and their final one at home, sitting top of their group with seven points from four games, just a point ahead of their opponents on Friday and two points clear of third placed Bulgaria.
Northern Ireland will still be feeling the benefits of their 5-0 win at home against Bulgaria in their most recent outing last month, which leaves them with just one defeat in their last five and three home victories in a row before Friday’s game.
O’Neill’s side have conceded only one in their last four matches, and will secure automatic promotion on Friday night should they win and Bulgaria fail to win in Luxembourg in the other match in the group.
Belarus have won one and drawn three of their four matches in the current Nations League campaign, building a reputation of being a difficult team to beat with a resolute defence having, like Northern Ireland, conceded just one goal in the competition so far.
Last month saw Carlos Alos’ side draw both of their games, against Northern Ireland and Luxembourg at ‘home’, though they’re home games are being played behind closed doors in Hungary at the moment for political reasons.
The eastern European side, nicknamed The White Wings, are looking to achieve promotion into League B for their first time having started the first edition of the Nations League in the bottom of the four tiers.
Belarus are now just two results away from securing promotion out of League C, though their final match of the campaign on Sunday night against Bulgaria in Sofia looks like being a monumental one for both sides with just two points separating the top three as it stands.
Automatic qualification is only granted to the team who finish on top, while the second placed side will advance for a two-legged promotion play-off against one of the third placed sides in League B, while the third placed League C side will stay in the third tier for the next campaign.
Northern Ireland and Belarus have met before on only four occasions, with the UK side winning the first three before being held to a goalless draw in their most recent meeting in Hungary last month.
Northern Ireland v Belarus betting tips
21-year-old Isaac Price scored a hat trick for Northern Ireland in their last outing, a 5-0 win over Bulgaria at Windsor Park, and will join up once again with Michael O’Neill’s squad full of confidence as he looks to add to his international tally on Friday night.
The Standard Liege midfielder has scored the same number of goals as Newcastle striker Alexander Isak in the Nations League C so far this season, and is just one shy of Sporting’s Viktor Gyokeres, the top scorer in the third tier.
With both nations having only conceded once in their four Nations League games so far, and matches including Belarus containing only three goals, a low-scoring affair is likely to played out in Belfast on Friday night, with the backing of the crowd and the dangling carrot of promotion likely aiding a home win.
- Isaac Price to score – 11/4 with Sky Bet
- Northern Ireland to win 1-0 – 4/1 with Sky Bet
How to watch Northern Ireland v Belarus
- Location: Windsor Park, Belfast
- Date and time: Friday 15th November 2024, 7:45pm
- TV Channel: TBC
Sky Bet: Bet x get £40 in free bets – CLAIM HERE*
Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to talkSPORT. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chase their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
- Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
- GambleAware – www.gambleaware.org
Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.
For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.
*New customers only. First single & E/W bet only odds of 1/1 or greater. 4 x £10 bet tokens. Free bet stakes not included in returns. Free bets are non withdrawable. Free bets expire after 30 days. Eligibility restrictions and further T&Cs apply. 18+. GambleAware.org
