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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
Q Spain Spain870121
Q Scotland flag Scotland852117
3 Norway Norway832311
4 Georgia Georgia82248
5 Cyprus Cyprus80080

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
Q France France871022
Q Netherlands Netherlands860218
3 Greece Greece841313
4 Ireland Rep. Ireland82066
5 Gibraltar flag Gibraltar80080

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
Q England flag England862020
Q Italy Italy842214
3 Ukraine Ukraine842214
4 Macedonia N. Macedonia82248
5 Malta flag Malta80080

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Turkey Turkey852117
Q Croatia Croatia851216
3 Wales flag Wales833212
4 Armenia Armenia82248
5 Latvia Latvia81073

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Albania national flag Albania843115
Q Czech Republic Czech Republic843115
3 Poland Poland832311
4 Republic of Moldova Moldova824210
5 Faroe Islands Faroe Islands80262

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Belgium Belgium862020
Q Austria Austria861119
3 Sweden Sweden831410
4 Azerbaijan Azerbaijan82157
5 Estonia Estonia80171

Group G

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Hungary Hungary853018
Q Serbia Serbia842214
3 Montenegro Montenegro832311
4 Lithuania Lithuania81346
5 Bulgaria Bulgaria80444

Group H

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Denmark Denmark1071222
Q Slovenia Slovenia1071222
3 Finland Finland1060418
4 Kazakhstan Kazakhstan1060418
5 Northern Ireland flag N. Ireland103079
6 San Marino flag San Marino1000100

Group I

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Romania Romania1064022
Q Switzerland Switzerland1045117
3 Israel Israel1043315
4 Belarus Belarus1033412
5 Kosovo flag Kosovo1025311
6 Andorra flag Andorra100282

Group J

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Portugal Portugal10100030
Q Slovakia Slovakia1071222
3 Luxembourg flag Luxembourg1052317
4 Iceland Iceland1031610
5 Bosnia Bosnia H'vina103079
6 Liechtenstein flag Liechtenstein1000100


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