Date: October 10, 2024. Time: 9:45 p.m. Location: Helsinki. Olympic Stadium
League of Nations. Group Stage. League B. Group 2. Day 3 Finland vs Ireland
Where to watch: The figs
Absent for the match: Buck (Finland)
A remarkable situation has emerged in this group. Two teams each secured 6 points in 2 matches without conceding a single goal. On the other hand, the other two teams lost twice without scoring a single goal against their opponents. Therefore, this third round could definitively determine who will be the big favorite and who will be the main outsider of the group.
Finland
Finland has had a terrible start to the Nations League season. Two defeats in as many games is not catastrophic, but losing 0-3 against Greece is overkill. Greece is not a strong enough opponent to be beaten without luck. The Finnish players could be forgiven for their poor results if it weren’t for the quality of their play; they failed to record a single shot on target in both matches! The team’s crisis has been going on since 2023, when they started qualifying for Euro 2024 with 4 wins in 4 games, even aiming for first place in the group, only to finish in third place. In March, they suffered a humiliating 1-4 defeat to Wales in the Euro play-offs. Now they have lost twice in the Nations League. With such performances, even finishing in second place in the group seems unlikely. Finland’s best hope now is to win against Ireland, which would allow them to avoid direct relegation to League C and instead fight for a place in League B via the play-offs.
Ireland
Ireland also started their campaign with two defeats in the first two rounds. However, this is hardly surprising. During qualifying for Euro 2024, the Irish lost 6 of 8 matches! They managed to win twice against Gibraltar but failed against all other opponents, including Greece both home and away. The appointment of new coach Heimir Halldorsson this summer has yet to result in better results for the team, or at least an improvement in their performance level. Halldorsson is known for his time with the Icelandic national team (5 years) and the Jamaican national team (2 years), but it was clear that miracles were not to be expected from him. Interestingly, Robbie Keane was a candidate for the position of Ireland coach, but due to less than ideal relations with the local football federation, the Irish legend found himself out of a job.
In a way, Ireland are lucky to be in a group with Finland, who are also experiencing serious performance problems. The chances of Ireland reaching third place are there.
Finland vs Ireland: Author’s Prediction
Interestingly, bookmakers have more confidence in the Irish national team, despite the fact that they are playing away. This is strange, considering the Irish haven’t won against stronger opponents (other than Gibraltar) in a long time. I believe that there is no clear favorite in this meeting, because both teams are displaying equally mixed performances. Therefore, I suggest taking a risk and betting on a draw.
