Luxembourg vs Northern Ireland Predictions

• 16 of Northern Ireland’s last 17 games have featured fewer than four goals, with their last six outings containing just seven goals in total.
• Northern Ireland defeated Luxembourg 1-0 in their last meeting in September 2019.
• Luxembourg have lost four of their last six games, only earning results against Qatar and Azerbaijan in that time.

Solid Northern Ireland looking for friendly win

Northern Ireland finished third in a difficult World Cup qualification group, behind Italy and Switzerland, but they did hold the Azzurri to a goalless draw last time out to prevent them from qualifying automatically for Qatar, one of a number of respectable results earned by Ian Baraclough’s men in 2021.

Northern Ireland have lost just three of their last 10 matches, with their only reverses coming to decent outfits in Switzerland, Ukraine, and Bulgaria. A solid rearguard has been crucial for Baraclough’s men in that run, with a total of just seven goals featuring in their last six matches, and they have now kept four clean sheets in their last six outings.

Luxembourg, meanwhile, have lost four of their last six games, only earning results against lowly Azerbaijan and Qatar in that time. They averaged just a goal per game when finishing fourth in their five-team World Cup qualification group, with a double over Azerbaijan and a shock win over the Republic of Ireland their only positive results during the campaign.

Back visitors for a low-scoring success

Although international friendlies often bring the possibility of changed lineups and can, to a degree, see the formbook go out of the window, Northern Ireland have long prided themselves on their organisation and solidity, which will again prove crucial as Baraclough’s men approach a new international tournament cycle.

Despite harbouring an injury doubt over key man Paddy McNair, the visitors are worth backing for a friendly win, and under 3.5 match goals is an excellent way to secure additional value for backers of the low-scoring visitors while keeping numerous scorelines in play.

Meanwhile, a 1-0 win for Northern Ireland, which was the outcome of the teams’ last head-to-head meeting in 2019, could be a decent correct score play.