Sports Mole previews Sunday’s Nations League clash between Bulgaria and Northern Ireland, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Bulgaria play host to Northern Ireland on matchday two of the UEFA Nations League with both teams having made an unbeaten start to Group C3.
On the same evening that Bulgaria were being held by Belarus, Northern Ireland posted a victory over Luxembourg.
Match preview
© Imago
Since his return as manager, Michael O’Neill has evidently needed time to improve the belief within the Northern Ireland ranks after dropping down the international pecking order.
However, a total of four victories – all with clean sheets – have been recorded in their last six outings, the only defeat coming in a friendly to Spain.
Northern Ireland find themselves in a Nations League group which is winnable, and delivering a 2-0 success over Luxembourg in Belfast on Thursday night has set them on their way.
Early goals from Paddy McNair and Dan Ballard proved to be the difference as their extended their winning record at home to three successive matches.
Away success has been in far shorter supply, yet O’Neill and his players will take the 1-0 triumph over Scotland at Hampden Park in March as evidence that they are capable of overcoming teams at this level.
To a certain extent, Bulgaria find themselves on a similar trajectory to Northern Ireland, there being somewhat of a renaissance since the back end of 2023.
Ilian Iliev is yet to lose as national team boss, albeit with six draws being recorded from his seven matches in charge.
Foundations are being built, though, with draws having been posted against Hungary, Serbia, Azerbaijan, Romania and Slovenia ahead of the game with Belarus earlier this week.
Iliev would have perhaps expected to see off their most recent opponents, but extending a run of conceding just twice in five games was at least something positive to take from the goalless draw in Zalaegerszeg.
Bulgaria Nations League form:
Bulgaria form (all competitions):
Northern Ireland Nations League form:
Northern Ireland form (all competitions):
Team News
O’Neill has a choice to make with his forward line with Josh Magennis having replaced Dion Charles at half time against Luxembourg.
Some rotation is a possibility with O’Neill acknowledging that several players looked leggy through their lack of game time at club level.
Jamal Lewis, Ali McCann, Ross McCausland and Paul Smyth are first in line to come into the team.
Bulgaria will be without Filip Krastev after the playmaker was sent off for two yellow cards on Thursday.
Ivan Minchev is in line to be the straight replacement in what may prove to be the only alteration to the side.
Bulgaria possible starting lineup:
Mitov; Popov, Petkov, Atanasov, Nurnberger; Gruev, Antov; Despodov, Minchev, Kirilov; Kolev
Northern Ireland possible starting lineup:
Peacock-Farrell; McNair, Ballard, Brown; Bradley, Saville, Charles, Hume; Price, Charles, Marshall
We say: Bulgaria 1-1 Northern Ireland
On the back of defeating Luxembourg, Northern Ireland will consider themselves to be favourites to edge through this fixture. However, Bulgaria have made a habit of posting draws under this manager, leading us to predict another low-scoring stalemate.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.