Wales v Northern Ireland Betting Preview – Euro 2016, 25th June
A home nation showdown in the round of sixteen. Wales were ranked fourth to win their group while Northern Ireland were rank outsiders to qualify from their tough group. So hats off to both of them already for their big success in making it this far and we can be assured that at least one home nation will be in the quarter finals. Northern Ireland have failed to beat Wales at the last five attempts, but can they dig in there at the back to keep Gareth Bale quiet and perhaps strike through a set play?
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Wales v Northern Ireland Betting Tips
This is a great looking tie and this would probably have not happened were it not for the newly expanded format of the tournament. Now we have a big home nations clash to look forward too. Wales are favourites and they have gone unbeaten in their last eight matches against Northern Ireland, who haven’t beaten the Welsh since back in 1980. So you have big head to head form advantage with the Dragons in this one and Wales put together a pretty good group stage campaign overall. They took wins over Slovakia and Russia, contrasting ones at that with a scrappy one over Slovakia and then a very impressive one over Russia. Their only slip was letting in a late goal against England to lose 2-1. But for the team who were the outsiders to win Group B, Wales did very well and carry confident form forwards to the knockout stage of the Euros, this being only their second time they have been to the second stage of major tournament.
So more history is made here with the fact that his is the first time ever that two British sides have faced off in the knockout stages of a major tournament. The fact that Wales won their group, showing a lot of belief in themselves, flew in the face of their form going into the tournament, which wasn’t good. They have only posted a W2 D1 L3 record overall in their last six played, so it isn’t good form, but they are playing well at the moment and have tremendous spirit. Gareth Bale of course has been crucial to their progress, having netted three of their five goals so far at the tournament. Bale is a 3/1 outright favourite in the first goalscorer market for the match. No-one else really warrants much of a look. However, you would picture this being a tight, low scoring affair and under 2.5 goals is a 4/11 punt at Betfred.
Northern Ireland then are underdogs, but they have a certain grit about them. They may need their defence to really be on its toes in this one. The Irish have only suffered the two defeat in their last fifteen games, which is fantastic. However, those have both been in the group stage of Euro 2016, so there’s the concern. Those defeats were 1-0 failures against Poland and Germany, so strong opposition and the Irish didn’t get blown away although they didn’t pose much of an attacking threat in either. Kyle Lafferty is a 7/2 option in the anytime goalscorer market for this one, and like Gareth Bale, he scored seven goals through qualifications. The difference here is that he hasn’t scored at Euro 2016. The Irish will struggle for goals, that is something that they live with and have returned just the one goal in their last three against Wales. But they will be a threat through set plays and Wales have just the one clean sheet in their last six.
Wales v Northern Ireland Betting Odds
Wales even money, Draw 21/10, Northern Ireland 4/1
Wales v Northern Ireland Predictions
Because you would picture this being a tight home nations affair, you would probably have to look for the side who have the game-changers. That would be Wales through Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey who have both been good through the tournament. Northern Ireland will dig in there are scrap it out, but may just come up short against Wales who will be full of confidence after having hammered Russia.
