Northern Ireland vs Switzerland: Murat Yakin’s side take another step towards the trip to Qatar

In their 6-match winning streak, Northern Ireland and Switzerland have won twice and drawn twice each. Who will come out on top in this contest? We predict that the Swiss will be closer to success!

The Northern Ireland team is a rare participant in major international tournaments. They failed to qualify for the continental competitions or the World Cup since 1986. But the Red Crosses sensationally qualified for Euro 2016, where they even made the group stage but missed out in the last eight. Northern Ireland have made steady progress in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying. They lost 0-2 to Italy in the first leg before becoming European champions, then drew 0-0 against Bulgaria, and, last time round, they crushed Lithuania 4-1. Such uneven results leave the national team of Northern Ireland in the fourth position in the Group C standings.

The Swiss national team led by Vladimir Petkovic is gradually making their way to the elite of European football. It is no surprise for them to qualify for the world and continental championships. At UEFA EURO 2020, they managed to advance from the group and beat the French in the last 16, losing only to the Spaniards in the quarterfinals in a penalty shoot-out. The qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup are also going quite well for the Red and Whites. They took turns beating Bulgaria and Lithuania 3-1 and 1-0 respectively in the opening two rounds, and last time they drew with reigning European champions Italy 0-0, ending up in second place in Group C.

Throughout their history, the teams have played six head-to-head encounters with a total of two wins and two draws, with a goal difference of 3-3. The last time the opponents met in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, the Swiss team won first, 1-0, and then drew 0-0.

The Swiss team is a team that vastly outclasses the Northern Ireland team in all the key indicators. Most importantly, they have used all those characteristics to excellent effect, but the Whites, the only time they have qualified for a major tournament in decades, was in 2016. In qualifying for the 2022 World Cup, Murat Yakin’s side has a far better chance of success, with Group C leading on points lost. As a result, we suggest a bet on the Swiss team’s victory for 1.74.

We shouldn’t expect high-scoring activity from the upcoming clash. Murat Yakin is a much more pragmatic coach than Vladimir Petkovic, who left the Swiss national team, so we saw zeros on the scoreboard in the first official game under the new coach. Northern Ireland have never been known for their flamboyant attacking football, which is why we should not expect them to be so quick on attack. Moreover, in their 6-match rivalry history, the opponents have only scored six goals against each other (1.00 goals per game on average). Therefore we would expect them to opt for Total Under 2 goals for 2.11.

In September, the Swiss national team will be without some important players in the attacking group, so all hope for the Red Crosses’ productive action must come from Haris Seferovic. Yes, he’s only recently recovered from injury, but he’s gradually picking up steam. Last season, he scored 22 goals in 31 games for Benfica, which shows his considerable scoring ability, and it is high time he distinguished himself in the national team. You can bet on Haris Seferovic’s goal for 2.50.