Northern Ireland cannot qualify for Euro 2020 automatically even if they beat Germany away from home tonight. The Germans have already sealed qualification which means they’ll be looking to guarantee top spot in Group C, and give themselves a good chance of getting a favourable seeding in the tournament. Here’s the Big Game Focus with some betting tips. Bet on the game here.
Germany booked their place at Euro 2020 with an easy 4-0 victory over Belarus last Saturday. The hosts have been brilliant in the qualifiers with six wins from seven matches. The only defeat came at the hands of the Netherlands, who hammered them 4-2 in a thriller back in September. With the Netherlands expected to overcome bottom team Estonia, Germany will be looking to win tonight and finish top of the group.
Northern Ireland’s hopes of qualifying automatically for next summer’s finals ended agonisingly on Saturday when they drew 0-0 with the Netherlands in Belfast. Steven Davis had a golden chance to give the home team the lead in the first half, but the captain blazed a penalty over the bar. They will now have to wait for the play-offs in March to see if they can qualify for their second successive European Championships.
Betting preview
The Germans have scored 14 goals in their three home games in the Euro 2020 qualifiers. They’ve hit 24 goals in just seven games. They’ve scored seven across the last two alone, while five of their last six have seen Over 2.5 Goals. The visitors conceded three goals in their last away match. The hosts have also won six of their seven games in qualifying so far. You can back Home team to Win and score Over 2.5 Goals at odds of 1.50.
Nineteen of the last 24 goals Germany have conceded have been in the second half, including ten in the final ten minutes. Northern Ireland’s defence collapsed in the final ten minutes in their last away match which was against the Netherlands. They conceded two in injury time. Germany’s last four games have seen 15 goals and 13 of them were scored in the second half. That being so, you can back Second Half as the Highest Scoring Half at odds of 2.00.
Germany have kept just two clean sheets in their last five games in all competitions. Both teams have also scored in three of Germany’s last five games. The visitors have scored in their last five away matches in Euro qualifiers. Therefore, odds of 2.35 for Both Teams to Score are attractive.
Team news
The hosts have an injury-hit squad. With injuries to Niklas Sule and Antonio Rudiger, Mathias Ginter and Jonathan Tah will likely start at the back. Given their star-studded line-up in midfield and attack, Joachim Low will have a number of options to choose from.
Northern Ireland have no major injury concerns.
Possible line-ups
Germany: Ter Stegen, Klostermann, Tah, Ginter, Hector, Kroos, Kimmich, Gündoğan, Brandt, Gnabry, Werner
Northern Ireland: Peacock-Farrell, Dallas, Cathcart, Evans, Lewis, C Evans, Davis, Whyte, McNair, Saville, Magennis