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[monks data]
Slovenia national football team
Euro Champ Qualifying | Group Stage
Sep 7, 2023 at 7.45pm UK
Stadion Stozice
Northern Ireland national football team

Slovenia
4 - 2
N. Ireland

Sporar (3', 56'), Evans (17' og.), Sesko (42')
Brekalo (90+5')
FT(HT: 3-1)
Price (7'), Evans (53')
Price (48'), Charles (57'), McCann (90+3')

Preview: Slovenia vs. Northern Ireland - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Thursday's Euro Champ Qualifying clash between Slovenia and Northern Ireland, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Northern Ireland will aim to end a three-game losing run when they face Slovenia at Stozice Stadium in Euro 2024 qualifying on Thursday.

Trailing the Slovenians by four points, the Green and White Army find themselves second from bottom in Group H after winning just one of their four matches.


Match preview

Slovenia's Andraz Sporar celebrates scoring their first goal with Zan Karnicnik on June 19, 2023© Reuters

Slovenia enjoyed an ideal start to their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign, securing back-to-back victories over Kazakhstan and San Marino, but Matjaz Kek's men have managed to take only one point from a possible six since then.

Following a 2-0 defeat against Finland back in June, Slovenia played out a 1-1 draw with Denmark in their previous match, despite registering two attempts on target while seeing just 37% of the ball on home soil.

As a result, the Slovenians find themselves fourth in Group H - level on points with third-placed Denmark and two points behind Finland and Kazakhstan, who have both one three of their four qualifiers.

Slovenia have only made one European Championship appearance over the years, featuring at Euro 2000 in the Netherlands and Belgium, with the former Yugoslav nation failing to qualify for each of the previous five editions of the tournament.

That said, Kek's side have suffered a solitary defeat in their last 10 games across all competitions, picking up five wins and four draws in the process, so they will back themselves to reach next summer's competition in Germany.

Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill before the match on June 19, 2023© Reuters

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland kicked off their qualification journey with a routine 2-0 victory over San Marino, courtesy of a brace from Bolton Wanderers forward Dion Charles, but it has been all downhill since then.

Michael O'Neill's side head into their fifth qualifier on the back of three successive 1-0 defeats, having fallen to Finland, Denmark and Kazakhstan without scoring a single goal.

Consequently, the Green and White Army sit second from bottom in Group H after four matches, meaning that Northern Ireland already trail the joint leaders - Finland and Kazakhstan - by six points.

Northern Ireland qualified for their first-ever European Championship back in 2016, but they failed to punch their ticket to Euro 2020, taking 13 points from a possible 24 during the qualification process before falling to Slovakia in the playoffs.

Not only have O'Neill's men lost each of their last three games, but they have also lost seven of their previous 11, so they will need to turn things around quickly if they want to reach their second European Championship.

Slovenia Euro Champ Qualifying form:


Slovenia form (all competitions):


Northern Ireland Euro Champ Qualifying form:


Northern Ireland form (all competitions):



Team News

Slovenia's David Brekalo celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates on March 23, 2023© Reuters

Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak will start between the sticks for Slovenia on Thursday, while RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko will aim to enhance his tally of six goals in 21 international appearances.

Matjaz Kek has also called up uncapped forward Aljosa Matko for the upcoming qualifiers, while 23-year-old defender Vanja Drkusic will be hoping to earn his second cap for his country.

Fresh from making his Manchester United comeback, Jonny Evans is set to pick up his 102nd cap for Northern Ireland, with Paddy McNair expected to join Evans in the visitors' backline on Thursday.

Exciting teenager Shea Charles has been recalled following his move from Manchester City to Southampton, with Championship regulars like Daniel Ballard, Trai Hume, George Saville and Jordan Thompson also making the cut.


Slovenia possible starting lineup:
Oblak; Karnicnik, Brekalo, Bijol, Janza; Stojanovic, Cerin, Elsnik, Mlakar; Sporar, Sesko

Northern Ireland possible starting lineup:
Peacock-Farrell; McNair, Evans, Cathcart; Hume, McCann, Charles, Saville, Thompson; Price, Charles


SM words green background

We say: Slovenia 2-0 Northern Ireland

Having lost each of their last three matches without scoring, Northern Ireland look set to suffer another damaging defeat on Thursday, strengthening Slovenia's qualification hopes in the process.



For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting over 1.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Over 1.5:data


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Game History

How you voted: Slovenia vs N. Ireland

Slovenia
74.2%
Draw
16.1%
Northern Ireland
9.7%
62
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Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Cyprus Cyprus00000
2 Georgia Georgia00000
3 Norway Norway00000
Q Scotland flag Scotland00000
Q Spain Spain00000

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
Q France France00000
2 Gibraltar flag Gibraltar00000
3 Greece Greece00000
Q Netherlands Netherlands00000
5 Ireland Rep. Ireland00000

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
Q England flag England00000
Q Italy Italy00000
3 Malta flag Malta00000
4 Macedonia N. Macedonia00000
5 Ukraine Ukraine00000

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Armenia Armenia00000
Q Croatia Croatia00000
3 Latvia Latvia00000
Q Turkey Turkey00000
5 Wales flag Wales00000

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Albania national flag Albania00000
Q Czech Republic Czech Republic00000
3 Faroe Islands Faroe Islands00000
4 Republic of Moldova Moldova00000
5 Poland Poland00000

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Austria Austria00000
2 Azerbaijan Azerbaijan00000
Q Belgium Belgium00000
4 Estonia Estonia00000
5 Sweden Sweden00000

Group G

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Bulgaria Bulgaria00000
Q Hungary Hungary00000
3 Lithuania Lithuania00000
4 Montenegro Montenegro00000
Q Serbia Serbia00000

Group H

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Denmark Denmark00000
2 Finland Finland00000
3 Kazakhstan Kazakhstan00000
4 Northern Ireland flag N. Ireland00000
5 San Marino flag San Marino00000
Q Slovenia Slovenia00000

Group I

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Andorra flag Andorra00000
2 Belarus Belarus00000
3 Israel Israel00000
4 Kosovo flag Kosovo00000
Q Romania Romania00000
Q Switzerland Switzerland00000

Group J

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Bosnia Bosnia H'vina00000
2 Iceland Iceland00000
3 Liechtenstein flag Liechtenstein00000
4 Luxembourg flag Luxembourg00000
Q Portugal Portugal00000
Q Slovakia Slovakia00000


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