Northern Ireland host South Korea in a friendly international this weekend, with the home side looking to put the disappointment of failing to qualify for the World Cup behind them with a win. However, with their opponents being on a five-match unbeaten run themselves, it promises to be a tough 90 minutes for both sides on Saturday.
International Friendly – Windsor Park, Belfast – Saturday 24th March – 14:00 UK Time
Northern Ireland vs South Korea Match Preview
Northern Ireland take on South Korea at Windsor Park on Saturday afternoon, with manager Michael O’Neill looking for his side to return to winning ways following a run of four matches without a victory. Meanwhile, South Korea arrive in Belfast in confident mood, with a mixture of domestic-based and European talent available to the visitors. Meanwhile, those still unsure of who to back ahead of kick-off should be sure to check out our top betting tip below. However, let’s first take a closer look at the two teams, starting with the home side.
Northern Ireland Team News & Form
A single goal from Switzerland was enough to see them defeat Northern Ireland in their World Cup playoff clash back in November, with losses to Norway and Germany beforehand meaning that the hosts come into this weekend’s clash in poor form. Meanwhile, both Chris Brunt and Will Grigg will miss the match due to their preferences to focus on club matters from now until the end of the campaign. However, experienced players such as Jonny Evans and Gareth McCauley make Northern Ireland extremely difficult to break down.
South Korea Team News & Form
South Korea defeated Latvia in a friendly match back in February, extending their unbeaten run to five matches. Tottenham Hotspur attacker Son Heung-min is likely to offer a considerable attacking option for the visitors, while Captain Ki Sung-yueng is set to earn his 98th cap this weekend. Crystal Palace midfielder Lee Chung-yong misses out due to a lack of first-team football so far this season, while the visitors bring seven players from the domestic-based Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors club.
Head to Head
The two nations have never before met in an international fixture, meaning that no conclusions can be made when it comes to their head-to-head record.
Northern Ireland vs South Korea Betting Odds and Predictions
Despite their recent run of poor form, their status as the home team this weekend means that it comes as little surprise that it is Northern Ireland who are the narrow favourites for victory with the majority of major online bookmakers. The European side can be backed for victory at best odds of 11/8 with bookmaker William Hill, while those looking to bet on a success for South Korea can get a price of 7/4 on the same platform. Meanwhile, a draw between the two is available at odds of 11/5 with Paddy Power.
Northern Ireland vs South Korea Betting Tip
However, our top betting tip for the match is to bet on under 2.5 goals being scored during the 90 minutes this weekend, with odds of 3/5 available at Ladbrokes.