San Marino v Northern Ireland predictions: Green and White Army should make light work of minnows

Where to watch San Marino v Northern Ireland

Viaplay Sports 1, 7.45pm Thursday

Best bet

Northern Ireland to win & over 3.5 goals
1pt 23-20 BoyleSports

San Marino v Northern Ireland odds

San Marino 80-1
Northern Ireland 1-18
Draw 12-1

Odds correct at time of publish

Betting offers

• Paddy Power are giving away free bets to new and existing customers and all you need is an account. Sign up here
• Sky Bet are offering new customers multiple free bets when they sign up. Click here for free bets, money-back specials and BuildABet free bets
• Betfair have lots of offers and money back offers. Sign up for a new account here
• To get free bets from Ladbrokes today, simply sign up to a new account here
• Don't have a Coral account? They have an offer for new customers here
• New William Hill customers can claim free bets and benefit from their daily offers including Scratch Of The Day by clicking here

San Marino v Northern Ireland team news

San Marino
The hosts are likely to field a similar side to that which was beaten by Saint Lucia last time out.

Northern Ireland
Conor McMenamin and Jonny Evans were late withdrawals from the squad, joining Steven Davis, Shayne Lavery, Liam Boyce, Stuart Dallas, Corry Evans and Ali McCann as absentees. Conor Washington faces a late fitness test.

San Marino v Northern Ireland predictions

Michael O’Neill is the most successful manager in Northern Ireland’s recent history and returns to the job he left in 2019 following Ian Baraclough’s departure last year.

O’Neill had a mixed spell at Stoke in the interim but his return should rejuvenate the Green and White Army, who narrowly missed out on back-to-back Nations League relegations last year.

The returning boss could hardly have hoped for an easier first assignment as his side travel to take on San Marino in this European Championship qualifier. 

The home side are the lowest-ranked team in the world according to Fifa and last won a match in 2004.

The minnows lost all ten of their World Cup qualifiers last year, scoring only one goal and conceding 46 in the process.

Northern Ireland have been involved in a number of high-scoring affairs recently and will be hoping they can fill their boots in what could be a morale-boosting opener to their qualification campaign.

The Green and White Army have made it to the Euros once before, in O’Neill’s previous reign, and they will be battling it out with Denmark, Finland, Slovenia and Kazakhstan to repeat the trick this time around.

Despite injuries to some of their key players, Northern Ireland should be boosted by the return of their popular manager and can rack up the score against these lowly opponents.

Take the visitors to secure a win in a match featuring at least four goals.

Key stat

Three of Northern Ireland's last four games have gone over 3.5 goals

Sign up to emails from Racing Post Sport and get all the latest news and tips

Today's top sports betting stories

Follow us on Twitter @racingpostsport