A Green Light For Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland made an encouraging start to their campaign as they overcame Luxembourg 2-0 at Windsor Park on Thursday night. Goals from Paddy McNair and Daniel Ballard helped seal a comfortable win for the Green and White Army,.
The Hardy Bulgarians
Bulgaria, meanwhile, had a slightly different experience as they played out a 0-0 draw against Belarus in Minsk. The Lions had to dig deep that night, particularly after Filip Krastev was sent off, reducing them to ten men. Despite being down a man, Bulgaria managed to hold on and extend their unbeaten streak to eight matches. While wins have been hard to come by for Bulgaria, their resilience has seen them pick up crucial draws. Some of them include draws against Serbia and Romania, who played at the Euros. Bulgaria may not be prolific, but they are certainly no pushovers.
New Problems For O’Neill
Though Northern Ireland secured victory in their opening match, manager Michael O’Neill will be left with a few selection headaches ahead of the trip to Sofia. Jamal Lewis, Ali McCann, and Paul Smyth are all available for selection and could be in line to feature in the starting eleven. Another key decision for O’Neill will be who leads the line. Dion Charles was substituted at halftime against Luxembourg and replaced by Josh Magennis, so it will be intriguing to see which forward gets the nod for this crucial away fixture.
A Stalemate In Sofia
Recent history between these two sides adds an extra layer of intrigue. Bulgaria came out on top with a 2-1 victory in Sofia the last time the teams met in 2021. Both teams boast solid defensive records, and with Bulgaria’s ability to grind out results, this match has the potential to be a closely fought encounter. Given the circumstances, a draw at 9/4 seems like a smart bet, as neither side will be easy to break down.
Bulgaria v Northern Ireland Selection: Draw (9/4)
