Andorra v Ireland predictions: Stephen Kenny's men can grind out narrow win

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for the Andorra v Ireland international friendly on Thursday.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Premier League, 5pm, Thursday

Best bet

Ireland & under 2.5 goals
1pt 14-5 BoyleSports

Team news

Andorra
Defender Eric de Pablos could win his first cap for Andorra.

Ireland
Ten regulars, including Aaron Connolly, Jeff Hendrick and Callum Robinson are missing from the squad, while skipper Seamus Coleman will sit out this game. Goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher could win his first cap.

Match preview

Ireland have plumbed new depths under coach Stephen Kenny but they can start out on the long road back to respectability by securing a first win since 2019.

Kenny has failed to win any of his first 11 matches in charge and did well to hang on to his job after a March international window which included a home loss to Luxembourg and a draw with Qatar.

A positive end-of-season international break is therefore a must for Kenny, who has named an inexperienced squad featuring six uncapped players for their friendly games with Andorra and Hungary.

Goals remain Ireland’s biggest problem - they have scored just four times during Kenny’s reign - while they’ve managed multiple away goals only once in the last five years.

With James McClean the squad's top scorer with 11 goals, there’s an opportunity for the likes of the uncapped Sammie Szmodics, who bagged 15 for Peterborough this season, to be handed a chance.

Andorra, ranked 158th in the world, also have issues in front of goal, having found the net more than once on just two occasions in the last 18 years.

The last time these sides met in 2011 Ireland won 2-0 and a repeat of that scoreline would come as a welcome relief to Kenny.

Key stat

Under 2.5 goals has landed in 30 of Ireland’s last 37 internationals.

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