3 minute read
The Republic of Ireland will be looking to grab their first victory of the Euro 2024 qualifiers when they travel to Athens to take on Greece on Friday night.
Key stats
Ireland have won three of their last five games.
Greece have suffered just two defeats in their last 10 outings.
Greece are unbeaten at home in five straight matches.
Ireland’s last three away victories have all been to nil.
Verdict
With just nine wins from 32 games to his name, Stephen Kenny boasts one of the worst records as manager of Ireland.
While that may not sound very promising, there is a feeling that the Irish may be about to embark on a significant turning point on the international football scene.
Kenny’s men kicked off their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with a gutsy display against World Cup finalists France.
Despite losing the match 1-0, the team earned many plaudits for their show of character – something they didn’t necessarily show in the first few months of Kenny’s reign.
Greece will head into Friday’s game as favourites, although this shouldn’t come as a surprise considering they are the hosts.
Gus Poyet’s men have lost two and won six of their last 10 matches, however the level of opposition has to be taken into consideration.
The majority of those victories came in the third division of the UEFA Nations League – a group with opponents such as Kosovo, Cyprus and Northern Ireland.
What’s more, Greece kicked off their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with a 3-0 win against fellow minnows Gibraltar.
While victories build momentum, Ireland are far stronger opposition than anyone Greece have faced in a competitive game since a match with Spain in 2021.
With that in mind, our recommendation is to back Kenny’s men to bag their first qualifying points in Athens.
Two of the last three head-to-head meetings between Ireland and Greece ended with a 1-0 scoreline. We’re backing that same outcome in favour of the Irish.
Suggested bets
Under 2.5 goals
Both teams to score – no
Correct score – Greece 0-1 Republic of Ireland
